Timeless tradition
Good cheer and gratitude for Christmas — all year ’round
Peace on earth, goodwill to all. Lately I’ve been wishing these winter holiday sentiments weren’t limited to specific dates on the calendar.
Last month, for instance, we counted our blessings before slicing the Thanksgiving turkey, but resumed the habit of complaining about everything from corrupt politics to lousy football teams as soon as the good china was cleared from the table.
As Christmas approaches, our hearts soften again. We mail greeting cards declaring our hope for humanity and belief in the Divine. We stuff a few dollars in red kettles outside local shops. But once the holiday evergreens are taken down and the last trace of glitter is swept away, we return to business as usual while the crabby months of Seasonal Affective Disorder drag on.
It’s even more troubling to consider that unkind behavior has been on the rise this year, thanks in part to the stress triggered by a relentless pandemic.
What appears to be a Random Acts of Rudeness movement is endangering all of us and eroding our sense of optimism. Across the country, angry diners lash out at overworked servers in understaffed restaurants. Volatile airline passengers attack flight attendants who try to enforce mask mandates. Meanwhile, hostile drivers bully others on the expressway while texting and ignoring the speed limit.
We can be better than this.
From Ralph Waldo Emerson to Willie Nelson, philosophers throughout history have touted the benefits of appreciation — a byproduct of kindness. “When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around,” Nelson said.
What if we all did the same, starting now? Opportunities to take inventory of our good fortune are as plentiful as holiday wrapping paper. To riff on Nelson, the more we appreciate, the more goodness we’ll find along the way.
Consider all the people who enhance our lives on a daily basis: The drivers who deliver packages — snow, rain, or shine. The auto mechanic who makes room in his overbooked schedule for emergency repairs. The doctors and nurses who oversee our health and wellbeing. The employer who signs our paychecks. The friends and family who offer emotional support when we’re down. Just for starters.
Years ago, a friend battling a terminal illness told me that she never liked the ritual of sending floral arrangements to funeral homes or memorial services. Instead, she often delivered small bouquets of gratitude to her friends and family while they were around to enjoy them. She didn’t wait for special occasions to say “I appreciate you.”
Putting our gratitude in writing is another way to rekindle the pleasure
of a special gift or kindness, which, in turn, will lift our spirits as well as the giver’s. No time to buy stamps? A text or phone call, or an email, will do. We simply need to make it clear that we take nothing for granted.
Gratitude, after all, is more than a prayer or blessing to recite at the dinner table. And we needn’t wait until Christmas to spread goodwill and kindness. What if we made it a way of life, not just a holiday?
Cindy La Ferle is a nationally published lifestyles columnist in Royal Oak. Her essay collection, Writing
Home, is available at the Yellow Door Art Market in Berkley. Visit cindylaferlehappythings.blogspot.com.