It's that time of year again. December has once more crept upon us with its promises of snow and holiday happenings. For those celebrating Christmas, the lights and stockings have been hung, the tree
But not everyone is able to experience the joys of the Christmas season. Some individuals don't have families to go home to, or are unable to be with their loved ones for various reasons. There are also others who dread going home to confront bad family situations. Some people can't afford to buy gifts for their families or put food on the table. Many more just forget that Christmas is about more than the bells and whistles of the holiday season.
Whether you are a practicing Christian or not, at its core, the Christmas season is about celebrating the giving of oneself for the happiness of others. This season is about celebrating the humanity that drives us to love, protect, and care for others. It is about the desire to help each other to achieve more than we are capable of on our own. More so than ever, we need to remember how important it is to care for and respect our fellow beings.
Increasingly, we see stories of heartache and tragedy in the news. We are exposed to the extremes of suffering and fear on a daily basis. Every day, there are more stories about death, fear, terror, and loss. We avert our eyes and are thankful that it wasn't us or someone we know. We become callous as we shield ourselves from the suffering of those around us. We forget what it means to look at another human being and see them as a person instead of another stereotype or news story waiting to happen.
We look at people and immediately label them as one thing or another. We file their entire identity and existence away in a box with one label. We refuse to consider other alternatives in our way of thinking because it is easier for us to make it through the day by placing our fellow beings in tightly sealed boxes. We label them as "trouble," "poor," "trashy," "gay," "probably a terrorist," and much worse. We assume that because they fit into one category, they cannot be anything else. These labels and narrow ways of thinking prevent us from experiencing compassion for our fellow human beings.
This Christmas, instead of focusing on the bells and whistles of the season, take a moment to give something of yourself to someone who needs it. Give your time to those in need, your compassion to those that require it, and your understanding to those different from yourself. Exercise a willingness to help your fellow beings as you get into the true spirit of the Christmas season.
Remember, the only thing that should be boxed and labeled this holiday season are gifts -- not people.
