εїз šαуûяî εїз - What does the Holiday Season mean to you?

Smeet Journalist Sayuri Article Chat Game

The holiday season is upon us and everywhere we turn there is the hustle and bustle, busyness, celebrating, parties, shoppers, lots of good food etc.   For many of us the holiday season brings us excitement, joy and a time for families to all gather together.   But for some of us it is the most dreaded season of the year due to the loss of loved ones and are grieving and mourning, with sadness and loneliness and depression and not wanting to celebrate the holidays.   

“For some it can have religious meaning as the birth of JESUS, while for others of the Jewish faith it can represent Hanukkah or the “Festival of the Lights”.  For those of African descent it can represent the holidays of Kwanza that celebrates their heritage.”  (Eva Gregory)

However, the holiday season are not just for Christians, Jews or African-Americans or people who believe in something; nor are they about celebrations, parties with friends and family or watching football or buying and decorating a Christmas tree or shopping for gifts for everyone on your list. 

I believe that the holidays and Christmas are a time to reflect and think about how blessed and grateful we all are.  For the Christians, like myself:   it is a time to show gratitude to God for everything:  a time of Hope, Peace, Love and Joy.  However, this should be applicable to everyone and not only during the holiday season, but throughout the entire year.    Gratitude and a feeling of always being grateful for what we have takes a lot of practice.  To do this one must not always look around us and desire what others have that we do not have but to appreciate from our hearts, everything God has already blessed us with and keeps blessing us daily.  With this feeling of gratefulness, comes a lot of joy and happiness that is priceless.   True happiness comes from within ourselves.   Only then, are we able to spread this wonderful feeling to the less fortunate around us.

Instead of being or feeling stressed, overwhelmed at all the busyness all around you, look within yourself and really begin to appreciate all that you currently have and I don’t mean just material things.    But learn to appreciate all the peoples around you, your friends and family members, loved ones who all love you so much. 

The real secret of the holidays and Christmas is the Hope, Peace, Love and Joy that we currently already have and we must learn to share them with others, who seem to have lost Hope, Peace, Love and Joy or some who never had these things in their lives.  The compassion and love and true caring that we give to others  - - without expecting anything in return --   is what makes the holiday season so very special and gives it a special meaning and clear purpose in our lives and as a result this feeling will most definitely give us and to others:  the Hope, Peace, Love and Joy that we all seek in our own  lives. 

Just how can we do this:  It is very simple:  seek out the lonely, the sad, the depressed, the confused and lost ones…. and share with them the spirit of caring, and giving of oneself.  Who knows how much of an impact you will have on such individuals…? Even if it is only one person whose life you will completely change, just by showing kindness and that you really care about them.  How awesome it is, to be able to touch other people’s lives just by being nice, caring and concerned for them at their most difficult time.  It does not have to require a lot of monies but it does require your time to honestly want to make a difference in others who are suffering and lonely, sad and depressed during this holiday season.   It is a well known fact that whenever we help the least of those among us and around us…. It automatically boosts our own spirits and theirs too and the boomerang effect it will have on your life is truly amazing and unbelievable.  We, of course, will do all  these random  acts of kindness to others without expecting anything in return but the universe will surely and most definitely reward you a thousand fold and MORE,  when you yourself least expect it.  Try it, it really works.    But just be sure you give of yourself genuinely, expecting nothing in return for your kindness and caring and it comes from your heart.

It is like the starfish story:  it may seem tremendously overwhelming when you notice so many peoples experiencing depression, sadness, loneliness, loss of hope, etc.  But if you can help just one person and your help makes a tremendous difference in his/her life, what an amazing feeling it is for you and for the one you have seeked out to help.  So, this holiday season, pray about this and seek out the lonely, the depressed, the sad and the lost ones who have lost all hope and instill in them a reason to be happy to just be alive and help them to get back there:   Hope, Joy, Love and Peace.  

I hope all this information above gives you all a different focus on this holiday season and to try to practice:  kindness, respect, love and caring to all peoples.   By doing this, from your heart, will surely give you a different perspective and PURPOSE for this holiday season and for many future ones to come. 

So, until we meet again, keep on smiling, dancing, meeting new peoples on Smeet and always love one another.  For Love conquers everything.  If you see me around on Smeet please do not hesitate to say hi and if you have a request for a topic that was never covered in any of my articles:  whether it is a relationship question or any other topic, please message me in private and if it warrants an article for me to write on,  I will surely do that.   Have the most wonderful, amazing and unforgettable holiday season!  God bless you all.  <3

εїз šαуûяî εїз, EN Journalist,  ID#13520497