Gifts of the Season

Although I am writing this blog on Christmas Eve Eve, surrounded by brightly wrapped gifts and bags, am imagining that the Christmas experience is over, all my presents have been sent. Although I know what is in the ones, I am sending, I do not know what is in the gifts I will be receiving. I could guess, but part of the beauty of gift exchange at Christmas is the mystery of what is under the wrapping. Of course, the Truth is that the only thing that is in the bags and boxes is Love!

Now no matter what your CHristmas was like, it is a thing of the past. As the year is drawing to a close, there  are  a few practices that we can do to bring conscious completion to the year.

First, acknowledge the amazing year! What good gifts did you receive ... the ones you were truly thankful for? Did you have good health this year? Did you enjoy friendship and love? Did you have  a job? Did you like your job? Did you create anything new? Did you travel anywhere? Did anyone treat you to a meal or a cup of coffee? Did you bless someone by something you said or did? Did you pay your bills?

For every welcome gift, give thanks.

Sometimes, the gifts we received din't look like anything we ordered. It wasn't on our Christmas list or any other list. It could have looked like a broken agreement, a loss of job or pay, a diagnosis of disease, a loss of a friendship, or any other of a myriad of experiences that often make up the human condition. 

Why would I call these unwanted experiences  gifts? Each one calls us to be more observant, to look for the good, to trust the process and to continue to pray. Each one calls us to a higher consciousness of love, compassion and forgiveness. 

For every unexpected gift, give thanks. 

Now is time to start getting ready for the new year. It is an opportunity to accept and release the past -- both the wanted and the unwanted. Remember that no matter how it was packaged, every gift came loaded with Divine Love.

Every Gift is Filled With Love