I've been listening to Frank Sinatra's Christmas CD in my car, and something that struck me is that Christmas inspires dreams in both young and old. Think about when you were little: Christmas was full of imagination and magic, with Father Christmas/Santa, elves, reindeer that fly, Christmas wish lists and having them come true...
After a long year, you feel run-down, exhausted and most likely a bit pessimistic. You need a good dose of hope. Having struggled with depression, I know what it feels like to see the world as dark and dismal, with hope being a foreign idea, so far removed from your reality, yet so deeply yearned for. Without hope, life hardly seems worth living. It is hope that gives us the energy and drive to get up in the morning. Hope gives meaning to the mundane. It does not need to be a profound hope; the simplest hope that spring will follow winter can be enough.
That is why I love Christmas. It is the one time of year when people are focused on giving, when family becomes the centre and beauty surrounds us. Think about it: how often during the year do you even notice the music that plays in the shopping centre? I know it's only when it comes to Christmas that I find myself singing along as I waltz down the isles picking out products. There is something so magical about fairy lights - you mainly see them at weddings and Christmas time, both in celebration. They remind me of stars, or city lights from above. They are so beautiful. An appreciation for beauty helps to take the focus off one's self and start to see the world from a different perspective.
This season is one when people feel the loss of family and friends, and feel the loneliness quite acutely. This points straight at the need that we have for others in our lives. No one can survive on their own, and we really need each other. It is the one time when for we change our focus from ourselves onto others.
So often, is it simply that change in perspective that allows us to reconnect with the hope that we so badly need to keep going. This is why I love Christmas. It invigorates, inspires and challenges me to think of others, appreciate beauty and find joy in the little things. Christmas reminds me that hope is possible and attainable.
For the first time in my life, I feel like the world is my oyster. The possibilities excite me rather than terrify me. I feel like I am somewhat more in control of my life, and the unknowns are opportunities for growth rather than for devastation. I am able to let myself fully dive in and allow myself to get excited about life. Previously, I was too scared to dream, because I did not trust myself, and dreaded the down that inevitably followed the up. I finally feel like I am able to fully dive in. There are still many unknowns, but I trust myself to grab life with both hands and enjoy the ride. The best thing is that I know that I will not be alone, and will be unconditionally loved and accepted, no matter what happens.
May this Christmas season be one when you rediscover a sense of hope through an appreciation of beauty, connection with loved ones and allowing yourself to dream...
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