Personal choice in the midst of a mutiplisity of possibilities is a challenging endeavour at the best of times, but when you add in the pressures of others expectations, family responsibilities, work deadlines or a lifetime of social indoctrinations, personal choice becomes even more complex.
When the rush of special seasons, like we have entered, are added to the mix of daily life it is a deep grace that we are able to find equilibrium at all.
We truly want to celebrate Advent and the time of preparing for Christmas. We want to find joy in our activities and encounters. We want to come through such times with contentment.
To do this with freedom and joy we need to be intentional and clear about what beliefs motivate us. The giving of more stuff that we don’t really need carries an intrinsic emptiness. Finding something of significance for the person who already has everything they really need feels more like hollow duty than genuine care.
Perhaps we could bless someone in real need in honour of our family member or friend’s name, then send the card telling how the gift was given in their name.
And instead of running full out until we drop, maybe an approach like one day at a time would help us slow down and enjoy each moment. Have a Blessed Christmas.
