A Different Kind of Christmas

This is a different kind of Christmas for me this year.  I can’t help but reflect on all the blessings I have in my life, and care little on what’s waiting for me under the tree to open on Christmas morning.  In fact, I find myself drawn to giving more so than I ever have in the past.

I’m not quite sure where the change has come from, to be honest.  I suppose I could chalk it up to my new position within a church setting.  I could, perhaps, reflect on all the changes my wife and I have encountered this year with a long distant move, becoming empty-nesters, realizing what it’s like to be grandparents, and so on.  I’d like to think, however, that the transition from recipient to giver is based on two factors: maturity and spiritual growth.

I turned 56 this year.  Normally I think of my age as just a number.  This year, however, 56 struck me as a number that now represents the second half of my life.  I no longer see myself as unbreakable.  I can begin to see the graying in my temples.  Staying fit and trim is a far greater challenge than it’s been in the past.  My mind is young, but the rest of my body is failing to cooperate.

Considering my age now, I’ve come to realize that I have everything I need.  Material items are less important to me.  In the past I allowed the rush of Christmas and the ads that came with it to influence my thinking that I needed the latest gadget, coolest running shoes, or newest truck accessory.  Not so much this season.  This Christmas I find that I’m far less attracted to the efforts of the big box stores vying for my attention.

Spiritually, the churning in my soul has pointed me towards giving.  I’m finding tremendous joy in buying for others.  I’m constantly looking for creative ways in which to share my love with those that surround me.  The gifts I seek for Christmas are no longer for me, they’re for those in my life that I wish to show devotion and gratitude.  The gifts I wish to give, go out to those far less fortunate than me; those without homes, clothing, food, or family.

This yearning is a flame that grows stronger as we get closer to Christmas.  There is an urgency within me to make sure I’m taking care of my family, friends, co-workers, and strangers.  In my own mind’s eye, Christmas day is no longer about the packages I see under the tree with my name on them.  No, this Christmas I envision those around me opening their own gifts and delighting in the thought that came with it.

My hope and prayer for all of you this season is one of blessings, good cheer, and fond reflection of this past year.  I pray that this will be a different kind of Christmas for you as well.

A Common Man