The sign of Christmas is a star, a light in darkness. See it not outside yourself, but shining in the Heaven within, and accept it as the sign the time of Christ has come.”
~ A Course in Miracles
Christmas. A time of reflection I find as my mind drifts back over the years…. A time to remember family, friends and past celebrations. A marker at this time of year. Funny how we don’t know what will become a special memory in the moment do we until we look back?
As I grow older, I find that I choose to unplug from much of the Christmas “matrix” and commercial aspects and only keep the traditions that feel good and bring me joy. It’s so easy to get caught in the consumer consciousness and intense energy of this time if you don’t breathe and choose for you.
As I grow older, I find that I choose to unplug from much of the Christmas “matrix” and commercial aspects and only keep the traditions that feel good and bring me joy. It’s so easy to get caught in the consumer consciousness and intense energy of this time if you don’t breathe and choose for you.
Two things that bring me great joy are the music and the lights. Every year I buy a new CD of one of my favourite artists from Diana Krall to Sting. Something about those familiar melodies with a twist. Our satellite switches the “Smooth Jazz” channel to Christmas versions, a perfect background as I type away.
As a child, I always loved the twinkling coloured lights that went up and festooned the neighbourhood homes and trees within. Something magical and cool that adults would do! We would often go out for a family drive to see the decorated houses in Winnipeg, scraping the frost off the windows of the Volkswagen to get a better look (they truly lacked a good defroster in those original cars!)
My Dad had made a star outlined in lights that he would mount on the porch under my window.
I have a very strong memory of sitting there gazing out, as the lights reflected off the snow. I was a teen then and beginning to search and question my existence, reading and writing a lot of poetry in school. I really didn’t “know” what I was looking for but just had a feeling as I tuned in to something intangible. Something magical. Something I couldn’t name…
Somehow I felt that at Christmas, there was a different energy in the world. Not just the anticipation of gifts, special food and fun. But an energy of joy, goodness and unconditional love. Later on I would call this “the Christmas morning” feeling. That all was well in all of creation!
Now I have come to recognize that this feeling can be present through out the year and truly resides within us as we recognize our own Divinity and love of Self. Our own Christ child. Gabriel sounded the trumpet and reminded Mary of her precious gift. The gift we all carry. It is time to remember. It is time to wake up.
The world is blessed with your Presence as you remember You Are God Also. Keep shining your light!
