Surviving Winter

Winter is tough enough without all the holidays and people running around helter skelter trying to create the perfect whatever holiday they think they're celebrating. Around here that's mostly Christmas which is actually a pagan holiday that has nothing to do with the birth of Christ which didn't even occur at this time of year. And on a What would Jesus do scale of 1-10 when it comes to celebrating Christmas, Jesus probably wouldn't do it. Jesus would probably give it a big fat zero on things that should be done.

Jesus was all about the service he could provide to his fellow human beings. He was a man who was not above washing the feet of his desciples. He was a man who fed the poor and the hungry without asking why they were poor and hungry, nor did he blame them for being poor and hungry. They were hungry so he fed them. He did not seek glory for himself. He was not a glory hound. I think at this time of year, he cries more than I do over the greed and selfishness there is upon the Earth, at how little charity and love some people have in their hearts. I hate to say it but there seems to be no shortage of people that are totally devoid of love and charity in their hearts.

I get extra grumpy at this time of year. It's cold and I hate to be cold. Staying warm and cozy can be a challenge. And I miss my family, especially my son who's currently living back home in Ohio. I know everyone thinks I'm a big scrooge and I don't have any Christmas spirit. Sometimes it seems to me that I am one of the very few that truly understands what it's supposed to be about.

Our little Charlie Brown Christmas tree is a whole two feet tall with the star on top, and that's okay. What's the point in having a big fancy tree? To show off your wealth? Do you think whoever is at the pearly gates checking people in can be bribed? Does it matter after you're dead that you decorated your house bigger and better than your next door neighbor?

What matters to me is I'll spend the holiday with my daughter. We have a roof over our head and we're not freezing to death. Our Christmas dinner won't be fancy, but we'll still eat well. The electric heaters in the basement where our bedrooms are located are doing much better at keeping us warm this winter than the central heat did last winter. I'm not as frustrated as last winter because I'm not wasting money on a heat source that doesn't keep us warm. I miss my son but we'll talk on the phone.

Except I'm still sad because I want to help others that are less fortunate than us, but we are barely getting by because I'm under employed. And I'm sad that there are people out there that are less fortunate than us. But I'm just one little brown woman and there's so much to be done and not enough me to do it all.

I wish more people were like my son. He'll be thirty next February, but mentally he's more like twelve. But his heart is over flowing with love and charity for everyone he meets. I wish everyone's heart was so full of love and charity. I wish mine was that full of love and charity, but I'm working on it. Even if it's something as simple as I smile at someone with a grumpy face or who refuses to make eye contact with me because they're sure I'm the devil.

I don't need to hear I'm sorry when people learn that both of my children are disabled. Why do people say that? I'm not sorry. I love them just the way they are. So they're not perfect. Nobody is. And they are perfect the way it matters most. They have perfect loving, caring hearts that are full of charity for everyone they meet.

So we're surviving winter. No we're not doing it perfectly. There won't be big impressive presents under the tree. My wreath hanger still doesn't have a wreath to hang on the front door, they're too expensive. But I'm creative. Eventually I'll manage to hodgepodge something together that I can hang out there. And I'll help out others where and when I am able when the opportunities present themselves, even if it's just a smile for someone who thinks they don't need it or want it.

May peace, joy, love and charity over flow from your heart into the world and make it a better place. And the nice part about that is you don't have to be religious for that to happen.