"It came to him that he didn't like holidays ...
They bore down on you. Each one always
ended up feeling like an exam ..."
Lily King
The highest suicide rate occurs during the holidays. These statistics at first surprised me. When expanding thoughts of not only myself but neighbors, communities, and other countries, the picture of isolation was broadly displayed with both bold and harsh colors.
It seems easier now to draw the distinction between the haves and the have nots. The neighborhood divide, one gets used to; but the national clash of cultures accented by violence can be overwhelming.
My question used to be, "How can we fix this?" but then I realized perhaps leaders of countries did not want to stabilize for the good of all people.
Within the celebrations of the holidays, there is a great deal of competitiveness and materialism; the atmosphere is filled with tension and stress; and the heart swells with sorrows as memories of Christmas Past stream through our thoughts. Anymore, I find more peace wrapped in my quilt with hot chocolate in hand, the flames dancing in the fireplace, a lighted candle and my journal for personal reflection. I tend to experience the meaning of Christmas better in this stillness and my sacred connection is joyfully strengthened.
No comments:
Post a Comment