Happy 2009

Happy New Year! How often we hear this greeting as December draws to a close! Whether we plan to make resolutions for the New Year or not, we still make decisions consciously or unconsciously for the next twelve months. Not to decide is to decide, so we are told.

The question here is, “What’s important in your life?” Some people just ‘go with the flow’ while others make agonizing decisions about what’s important to them. Let’s reflect on that for a moment.

What makes you want to get up in the morning? Your children, your job or the money you want to make? Are you looking forward to this coming year, despite the current condition of the economy, global warming, the million of jobs being lost, the wars and poverty in so many countries of the world? In a recent survey, fifty- eight per cent of people voiced that they have hope for the coming year. Two-thirds of them still have confidence that they will have jobs in the New Year.

Do you feel pressured to make resolutions? What is important in your life? As the theme of my book, Quest for Happiness states, we are all on a journey to find happiness. What will that happiness consist of for you? Is it more money, a new relationship, beauty, education, fame, power or security? All of these things are important and are needed by each one of us in some form or another.

In the middle of the third century B.C., Aristotle wrote that “Happiness depends upon ourselves.” This invites us to do some introspection. Several suggestions that I find helpful are:
1. In January, reflect on last year’s successes and think about
building on one or two of those for the coming year.
2. Find out what it is that you really value and are most interested in and work on those things rather than give up something in your life.
3. After reflecting on who you are and what you like about your-
self, choose to make a goal that is measurable, well planned, written down and accountable to a partner or friend.
You may think of others that fit you and your lifestyle. The main thrust is that you want to move forward on your journey, becoming a better person making the world a better place to be because of your gifts and talents, generous in sharing with your family and friends.

Happy New Year!

Celebration of Light and Life

As we near the end of another year, it is very fitting to look back and reflect upon what we have experienced. For some, it has been a wonderful, very successful and happy year, filled with many accomplishments. For others, it was a year filled with great pain, loss and sorrow because of the death of a loved one or the separation of parents, siblings or children. What is your story?

Each month of December brings together family and friends to celebrate particular holidays. Many travel from far and near to be part of gatherings.

Because we are now in the time of winter and darkness comes so soon in the northern hemisphere, we naturally focus on light. Light is a symbol used all over the world in many religious festivals and holiday get-togethers. It is meant to lift our spirits and create a sense of community for all who are participating in the merriment. Often community festivities set up a display of musical selections to accompany the lights. In religious festivals, singing and dancing, with particular honored readings accompany the lighting of candles. In all, the light is the center of the party or assembly.

As I reflect on this time of year, I realize that here is an opportunity to take some time to look backward but also look forward to the upcoming year. Last New Years gave me a chance to make new resolutions or revamp the old ones. How did I do? Did I actually list one or several and kept them in mind during the year? What am I planning to do this coming year?

The celebrations of light and life are very important for me. The two are intertwined. I love the bright sunshine and all that it brings. The cold and dark of winter makes me appreciate the upcoming spring and summer. Every celebration of light nurtures my soul and helps me focus on the bright colors in the tapestry of my life with family and friends.

May you too celebrate light and life, often in the midst of winter! Keep spring in the sanctuary of your heart!

The Greatest Gift of All

In my last entry, I discussed being grateful for the many wonderful gifts in our lives. Too often people think of the external gifts that are given at special times when we celebrate one of life’s milestones. Gift giving includes all of these, of course. We all like to be the recipient of another’s love and generosity.

If we stop to consider the purpose of gift giving, we soon realize that when we purchase something for that special someone, we give of ourselves as well. We want the people we love to receive the very best of what this world has to offer. Yet when we search the human heart, we soon come to realize that the most important thing we want is to be loved for who we are and not for what we own or how we look.

Gift giving is characteristic of all cultures. Since the advent of human beings, there has been a tradition of giving gifts. Not only as expressions of love, friendship and gratitude to celebrate happy (and sad) events, gift giving is also used for charity such as providing aid to needy countries in times of misfortune.

Just as children often do, adults can get caught up with the pretty wrapping and decorations, and often forget about the genuine gift inside. Those of us here in North America, as well as others around the globe, are becoming conscious that we need to take care of our earth. One way we can do this is to adopt the wonderful Japanese tradition of cloth wrapping called furoshiki, an ecologically friendly alternative to the millions of tons of wrapping paper and shopping bags sent to landfills.

Take some time to ponder who you are and what gifts you bring to your relationships. If you remember, I suggested that the first one you name is your own special qualities and uniqueness. Your uniqueness and other special qualities are gifts that you are born with, and you also developed special talents as you grew up. Some of your abilities may be those that parents and teachers encouraged on your journey to maturity.

What is the gift you first give yourself? Are you caring, loving and compassionate, and do you forgive yourself when you make mistakes? If you do, in turn, you can show the same gentle kindness to others. They will appreciate a gift wrapped in love and attentiveness.

What other gifts do you bring to your relationships? Are you a cheerful, joyful, laughter-prone individual? When life hands you sour grapes, how do you react? What kind of environment do you create in your world of family and friends? Are you a joy to be around, at least, most of the time?

What if you have no money to buy expensive gifts? Here is a great way to take stock of your own uniqueness. Wrapped in your love and generosity, even the smallest gifts will be welcomed and treasured. Like the little drummer boy, the gift of your self would be the greatest gift of all.