Some people like to see the holiday season pass. Financial pressure, sickness, general busyness, loneliness, or grief associated with the passing of a loved one during the holidays are just a few of the reasons. There was a year when my daddy was in the hospital through Christmas and then died shortly after the new year. Neither were the holidays pleasant when my first wife passed away in the Fall of 2001. Her passing colored Thanksgiving and Christmas, normally happy and festive times for our family. We went through the motions but at best it was a shell of our former celebrations. It is always hard when there is an empty chair at the table. I can understand the feeling of wanting to get past the period and on to a new and hopefully happier chapter. If we trust and call on God to help us by his intervention, especially through family and friends, we can deal with those incursions of sadness and persevere into a more positive place. It can still be a hard and time consuming effort, even with divine help, but we can get there. There is contention within our souls as we look for things better while dealing with the difficult. The spirit of holidays past may still visit us from time to time but the tears of grief can turn to tears of joy as we concentrate on the sweet memories that previously made the seasons special.
Still, it always saddens me when the season is gone. The signs of its departure are everywhere. The driveways that were filled with multiple automobiles get back to normal. The decorations disappear and in my mind they take something with them. I actually can feel somewhat depressed for a short period of time. Why?
Personally, I notice that people seem to try harder during the holidays. There is a lot of benevolence and care for the less fortunate and there are always "feel good" stories.The family institution receives increased concentration and appreciation. In the writing of Dickens is recorded the businessmen who endeavor to interact with Ebenezer Scrooge for the purpose of making it a better time for those in need:
“At this festive season of the year, Mr. Scrooge,” said the gentleman, taking up a pen, “it is more than usually desirable that we should make some slight provision for the poor and destitute, who suffer greatly at the present time. Many thousands are in want of common necessaries; hundreds of thousands are in want of common comforts, sir.”
There was a recognition that certain helps should be afforded to those who were hurting, especially in light of the celebratory nature for those more fortunate. I delight in seeing such emphases, even for a short period, because I am always hopeful that something done temporarily to help those in need will become more permanent in the heart of those who provide. Seeing goodwill grow is a wonderful thing.
Before Christmas there was a local Salvation Army bell ringer that I often spoke to and we became recognizable to one another. He had improvised a bit of an elf costume and seemed to delight in what he was doing. In fact, as the days passed it was easy to see his joy progress. By the day before Christmas he had bought candy canes and was passing them out to not only children but adults, regardless of whether or not anything went into the pot. As I dropped in my final contribution of the season on my last visit to his location he grabbed me, hugged me, and wished me a Merry Christmas with tears in his eyes. I know this would make some people uncomfortable but I appreciated it, especially as I had seen his exuberance escalate.
As I think back to that encounter I realize that he may actually be a man I never see again. However, this morning I prayed for this unnamed fellow that he may be able to keep all that he was experiencing at that time in his small corner of the culture and continue to pass it on to others.
I also prayed for myself and all of us in general that we may do a better job at keeping the valuable positives of life not only for a season but all year long.
The momentary sadness I may feel at the close of the holidays can always we replaced by hope. It may be generated by a well positioned bell ringer, seeing the hungry fed, hearing of people being cared for who have experienced a fire or theft during Christmas, and thousands of other possibilities. I have no doubt that we can all do better if we set our mind to concentrating on things that are right and lovely all year long.
Scrooge at first refused the approach of those who wanted him to contribute. Thankfully, we get to read of his redemption which may reveal goals for all of us
"He became as good a friend, as good a master, and as good a man, as the good old city knew, or any other good old city, town, or borough, in the good old world."
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