The Real Christmas

Well here we are just 1 week from Christmas. The past week I was blogging about all the pitfalls of Christmas for those in early recovery. Some of them are real concerns; however a lot of it is what we create in our heads. The feelings are scary, emotion based and mostly fear based. Yet feeling are your feelings however feelings are not necessarily facts. Feelings are real however the thinking that creates those feelings is sometimes flawed, yet occasionally the feeling is totally justified. The point being is that feelings never killed anyone; it is our emotional and irrational reaction to them that may be fatal. This is something you might want to ponder on. We will dive into that topic on a later date. I have blogged about these feelings, and the whole scary side of Christmas and possible negative anxieties towards this great season. It’s been quite real for a lot of you, so I thought it better to face it. However yesterday I posted a few recovery comedy videos, because the time for doom and gloom is past. Life is to enjoy and have some laughs, there is a time to be serious, however if you can’t laugh and enjoy life. You are missing the whole point of it.

As for Christmas, today I was out attempting to pick up a few things for Christmas. It’s just chaos out there, people cutting each other off while driving, trying to get ahead, and be the first one to the next traffic jam 10 feet ahead. People pushing and bumping into you knocking into to you in the malls, cutting in line. It is just crazy. It reminds me the other day I went to the parade with the wife and daughter. We got there a little later than I wanted however found a good spot. I had to go back and pick something up just before it started. So I squeezed my way through and got across the street. Then I had to come back. Well let me tell you this was quite the experience. As a finagled my way through the crowd, with excuse me and pardons, I came up to this couple and they were not going to let me pass, they said there are children in front. I tried to explain that I wasn’t attempting to but in front of them, that I was attempting to cross to get to my family. Well they were having none of it and the fellow even grabbed me. I had to fight the urge to get angry and return the hostility, and just shrugged him off and stepped over the children and started to cross the street. When there was another lady involved to speaking of her child in front. Well she and the couple just exploded in to a tirade of foul language, the likes I haven’t heard since my using days. Don’t get me wrong I’m still quite capable of a swear word or two. However the way these people went on. I just stared and replied nice talk in front of the children. To which they just continued and blamed it on me. I just shook my head and crossed the street to join my family. This little story, to go along with the pushing and shoving in the malls, and the rude drivers. All in the name of Christmas People we have forgotten what Christmas is all about. It’s about a little kindness, compassion, tenderness, generosity, the brotherhood of man, LOVE, Peace on earth. Nice words, we watch the movies and preach all this stuff, when asked, yet what actions do you see out on the street.
So please don’t forget what the holidays are really supposed to be, live it, and be the example. If you’re going to the mal or anywhere, and it would normally take you 20 minutes to a ½ hour. Give yourself an hour and ½ to 2 hours to accomplish it now. Take your time let the crazies cut in front, you won’t be stressed and in a panic. In the crowds out there practice random acts of kindness, you know what you’ll get some strange looks, like you’ve got two heads or something, but occasionally you’ll get that smile and the smile from the eyes of that person and in that moment the magic of Christmas will happen. Keep it alive. By doing what’s right, and what’s right in front of you. By giving yourself the extra time to accomplish whatever you are setting out to do. And practicing “random acts of kindness”.
Remember God does not create garbage