“I’ll see
you all next year!” I can’t tell you how many times I've heard that same corny
joke from one of my teachers just before I leave their room for Christmas
break. All I can think about is how I’m going to have so much fun over the
break. Hanging out with friends, spending Christmas with my family, and not
having to worry about school for a while. I always get excited about the great
times that I am going to have during the holiday season, however there are many
people that aren't as fortunate as me. For some the holidays are a very tough
time. Whether it be mourning the loss of a loved one or being tight on money
there are many things that can bring down people’s spirits. For this reason it
is important to remember the real purpose for the holidays, to spread joy and
happiness to others.
Someone
that can attest to the power of the holiday spirit is Amy Scharman of Mapleton,
Utah. She remembers very distinctly the first Christmas after her parents had
divorced. It was a hard time of the year, her mom was raising Amy and her
siblings alone without any child support. None of them were expecting much to
happen Christmas day until they heard a knock on the door late Christmas Eve.
When they went to the door no one was there but there were bags of presents left
on the doorstep. “It was such an overwhelming feeling to see such generosity
from some I don’t even know.”
While this act of kindness was
above and beyond what most people expect that doesn't mean we can’t adopt the mindset
of doing what you can to help others. Something that I’m doing this winter to
help spread the spirit of joy is being a Secret Santa Rematch. I participate in
the largest Secret Santa Exchange in the world. It’s done online and is a lot of
fun. However there are people that don’t follow through with delivering their
gifts so I sign up to send more than one gift. This isn’t something big and I don’t
go too far out of my way but it makes a big difference to the other person.
“Christmas
is not a time nor a season, but a state of mind. To cherish peace and goodwill,
to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas.” Calvin
Coolidge truly captures what the holiday spirit is all about. We need to
embrace the holiday spirit and take the time to think of others. Do what we can
so this is a time of year everyone can enjoy. Make sure to enjoy your time with
friends and family and relax because it is well deserved, but also make sure to
remember why we are fortunate to have this break and to pass on the goodwill of
Christmas.
Stationed by the Rising Sun,
Jack Roessler
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