Christmas is a beautiful time of the year for most of us, most of the time. But it is also true that Christmas can be a very painful time of year for some, especially those who have experienced recent loss or who, for various reasons, have fewer family options at Christmas. Yes, Christmas can be the best of times or the loneliest of times, the most wonderful time of the year or the most painful.
The video below reminds us that Christmas can also be a time to reach out to others who have a hard time experiencing Christmas. Perhaps it is a relative or friend who has lost a spouse this past year and who will be alone for the first time this Christmas. Perhaps it is someone who is left out because his family is far away. Perhaps it is someone who is shy or even a little antisocial. But somewhere under all the grouchiness we see their pain and know that they need some attention at Christmas. I know that I have some sick parishioners who need a special visit this week.
Whatever the reason, there are always those who need to be included, those who for various reasons feel excluded.
In the video, a hare and a bear are fast friends. Unfortunately, the bear always misses Christmas because he is in hibernation. Something inside the hare tells him that Christmas will not be Christmas without his friend, and without his friend being able to experience the joy of Christmas. It occurs to the hare that there is a particular gift that would help his friend the bear to enjoy Christmas, even if only for a moment. And so he gives the gift, which you will see at the end of the video.
I leave it to you to watch the touching conclusion and to ask yourself who the bear is in your life. Who is it that you need to reach out to in this season of Christmas? For me it was an old family friend that I had lost touch with this past year, and whose mind is beginning to fade with age. She had been good to my father in his dying process, and so I sought her out and we had a nice talk.
How about you? Who is that someone in your life who needs some special attention this Christmas? Christ will surely be pleased if you give the gift of love.
A wonderful reminder that during this Christmas season, reach out to those who struggle with the pain of loss or other difficulties.
Besides many being the accidents of time in a busy world, just somehow overlooked, there are many many more who get hurt rather deliberately. For satan hates Christmas and goes into hyperdrive during our Noels. It hurts me to my soul to witness almost unthinkable acts of cruelty and neglect during Christmas especially. And of course where deep hurts and feelings of abandonment dwell, so does our ancient enemy. Too many souls get lost, unable to process and or even reach out for healing.
We tend to try and sweep familial cruelties under the rug during this season of bells, carols and plenty. We musn’t. My ministry deals in such woundedness all too often, both on and offline. If we have any intention of change in the coming year, it will hopefully to be much more loving to those within our own families and communities first. It is rather hypocritical to maunder on about the global cruelties, when we savage our own. Charity and mercy begin at home.
I posted that video in the channel where I chat about politics. It was followed by someone posting a video about the life of Stalin.
Your story makes me think as a member of a group of (self righteous) Christians who complain about merchants rushing into the Christmas season each year,
why does Christmas have to end?
As an addendum to your opening paragraph I might add that Christmas might be a sad time and a happy time — together. Such was my Christmas this year. I think for perhaps the first time ever I truly celebrated Jesus’ birthday, and not the events of my and my friend’s lives. It had to do with visiting a dying person at the hospital, and God’s presence there.
If you have time to waste, you can read details on my blog, but I wanted to remind all that even in sadness, even in loneliness, God is there —- and especially, I think, at His birthday party.
How do I link to your blog?
Sorry. Do-not-be-anxious.blogspot.com