What new birth is waiting for you?

It is Christmas Day. The expectation we read about in stories and see on screens is that it is a happy time of gathering family and friends together to share a meal and exchange gifts.

Depending on where you are on your life’s journey, it can be a lovely time or a lonely one. Some will relish being with family. Others will dread it. Many are alone and wishing they had a family to be with. Others are newly divorced or are grieving family members who have died and wish they could fast forward through the holidays as quickly as possible.

Growing up in the church, the meaning of Christmas for me has always been centered on the birth of the baby in the manger. Years ago, I read a book titled “You Can Choose Christmas” by Clyde Reid. He spoke of Christmas as a time of birthing the coming of new possibilities, new talents and perhaps even new relationships.

Reid asked the question, “What will be born in you this year? A new skill? A new art? A new life?”

Maybe you’ve always wanted to try sculpting, or climbing a mountain, or writing a poem, or authoring a book, but you’ve been afraid to begin. Maybe this is the year you will dare to step out and give it a try.

It’s OK if you don’t succeed. Trying and discovering it isn’t that important after all is how we learn who we are not. It is not a failure and it is much better than coming to the end of life saying, “if only …”

So what lights your fire? What have you always wanted to try? What new birth is waiting in you?