I remember writing a paper in college where I mentioned that you know it’s Christmas when you hear the BC Clark Anniversary jingle. There are many signs that the season is approaching: Hobby Lobby Christmas displays appear in late July. Downtown buildings have lighted crosses at night. Drunk reindeer and deflated Santas litter neighborhood lawns. It’s all too easy to get caught up in the holiday traffic and the materialism, and lose the true meaning of the season.
Don’t worry, I’m not going to go all religious on here, although I think they ought to leave the crosses lit all year long. So many things have changed for me personally over the past year, and not all of them for the better. I’ll just say it’s been difficult. Yet there have been so many positives out of those changes that I can’t help but feel blessed. There are two ways to look at any given situation, glass half empty and glass half full. I could be feeling sorry for myself but I choose to have a positive approach. All I have to do is look around to realize that things could be so much worse. One of my best friends has moved out of her husband’s house and is pending divorce. Another of my best friends is having to deal with severe headaches in addition to raising two children, working and going to school full time. I have clients that have all sorts of troublesome things going on. Yes, my world dropped out from underneath me suddenly, leaving with me with several bumps and bruises and one serious case of road rash, figuratively speaking. But I am back on my feet, I have a cute little house soon to call my own, a great job, and I am surrounded by my family and friends. When I think about what could have been, those thoughts are immediately replaced with all of that good stuff.
I personally do not believe in coincidence. I think everything happens for a reason, and timing is God’s way of teaching us patience. Life is just full of little lessons that we are taught every day, we only have to change the way we look at the world around us in order to see them. Some of them are more difficult to accept than others, but the power of a positive attitude can change anyone’s perspective. You haven’t been laid off, you’ve been given the opportunity to find something better. You got a flat tire that made you late for your appointment, but kept you from being in a serious accident. There is always a positive to every negative, and if you hang on to that positive, you will be surprised at how much easier it gets to see that silver lining.
It is that positivity that leads to the Christmas spirit. It’s not just about giving and being of good cheer, but paying things forward, and doing it all year round. If we concentrate on setting the good example, all those inconsiderate so-and-so’s will follow suit. Well, most of them will, anyway. The cool thing is, it’s as easy as taking your basket to the corral, or letting someone with their one item go ahead of you and your 20 items. Joke around with the cashier, she will appreciate knowing there is still some hope for humanity. A great attitude is just as infectious as a bad one, and it sure makes everyone feel better!
For all of our clients, friends, and family who are traveling this holiday, we wish you safe passage, a very Merry Christmas, and a very Happy and prosperous New Year!
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paul@familyinsu.com