Celebrating the holidays…

Many people are celebrating the holidays with family and friends. Christmas and New Year’s are a busy time of the year. Office parties, Christmas parties, gift exchange and store sales are all familiar things that take place. It is a very happy time. I remember looking forward to opening presents on Christmas morning and smelling the aroma of my mother’s sweet potato pies and fruit cake cooking in the oven. The excitement of opening a gift and not knowing what was inside, was priceless. Sometimes I may not have gotten what I wanted, but the love in which it was given was heartfelt. Love is so important during the holidays. We give gifts as a expression of love to celebrate the birth of Jesus. As we celebrate this year, and make new memories, take a moment to show love. It does not cost you anything to smile, hold the door open, speak a kind word to a stranger, call a friend or family member, or visit people. During this happy time of the year, there are also many people that have difficult times during the holidays. Some have to work and may not be able to be with family and friends. There are also people who are lonely thinking about love ones that have passed away and may find it hard to find joy in the holidays. As I often say, you never know what someone else may be experiencing in their life. Sometimes people mask their pain behind a smile. When you take a minute to show love, you have made another person’s day a little brighter. So enjoy your holidays, give a word of encouragement, smile and treat others like you would like to be treated and show a little love.