Spread a little kindness

Once again the bright lights twinkle. “Here’s comes Santa Clause”, “I wish you a Merry Christmas”, “Away in a Manager” and other traditional music fills the air waves. Ready or not the Christmas season, with its bags full of emotions, have arrived.

Accompanying the variety of feelings are a host of faces. The young are exuberant. Determination is etched on the faces of mothers and fathers who, in a medley of ways, seek to please their family. The recently bereaved bravely plod through ‘the season to be jolly’. Others mask sadness with a smile knowing there is no more ‘going home for Christmas’. The eyes of the forgotten elderly scan all who enter nursing homes hoping to recognize a visitor as one of their own.

This one miraculous day of the year is wrapped up in a month or more of preparations. But what really makes Christmas, Christmas? Is it the exquisitely decorated tree, the music, the parties or the scrumptious dinner shared with family and friends? Indeed these contributions add to the Christmas festivities. Ultimately however, it is the face of a child – the face of hope, the face of love which resides in all of us.

Eight year old Larry dreamed of playing baseball. His mother, trying to protect him from possible ridicule said, “you aren’t going to be able to run as fast as the other children because of your operation.”

Optimistically Larry replied, “I won’t need to run fast. When I play baseball, I’ll hit them out of the park. Then, I’ll just walk”.

Similarly, Tim expressed genuine love to his elderly neighbor whose wife had recently died. Upon seeing the man cry this four year old boy climbed onto his lap and just sat there. When his mother asked what he had said to the neighbor Tim just shrugged his shoulders, “nothing, I just helped him cry”.

Yes, amid the music and laughter this Christmas there will be tears. Nevertheless, if we look closely we’ll not only see the face of love and hope but bring them everywhere we go.

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