Monday, December 4, 2023

Your heart, unlock it

The season of Advent is a good time to focus on gratitude. I mean—it’s part of the preparation for the birth of Christ to do some spiritual housecleaning, and nothing clears the cobwebs from the quotidian like conscious thankfulness.

The thing about gratitude is that it opens things up—you find that there’s room in your heart for kindness, generosity (of spirit and otherwise), joy, forgiveness and grace. You’re able to find sparks of beauty that you missed before, things that make you smile, perhaps things that make you pause and grow calm. We need this at the end-of-year frenetic days.

Today I’m grateful for Run D.M.C’s “Christmas Is”, which gives me a different take on the seasonal tradition. But it also reminds us to give thought to those who are missing out on what so many of us take for granted. It also advises us not to mistake humbleness and kindness for timidity, which I especially appreciate. (Yes, it does talk a lot about consumerism, but dig deeper, folks.)

Because the baby born in humble circumstances grew up to preach kindness, but in no way could be considered timid.


 

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