IN SIMPLE TERMS

These year-end holidays can leave most of us frayed, tired, depressed and overspent, literally and figuratively. Is there an antidote for this syndrome?

Yes, but….

For many years I’ve tried to unwrap its promise as if it were a long-anticipated present….but keep getting caught up in the metaphorical tape, ribbons and paper. Who-to-give-gifts-to,

Is-the-gift-good-enough, and so on.  By the time I get past all that dithering it’s mid- December and I’m already in a galloping panic. I begin to wonder once more if I’ve missed the whole point.

It all began with such wonderful intentions. The Muslim version (Eid al-Adha) celebrates when the Angel Gabriel saved Abraham by replacing his son on the sacrificial altar with a ram sent from God. Buddhists celebrate Rohatso or Bodhi Day, the day Buddha achieved enlightenment.  Hindus celebrate Pancha Ganapati, honoring the five elephant-headed deity of culture and new beginnings. Jews celebrate Hanukkah, the eight day Festival of Lights commemorating the miracle of one day’s oil burning for eight days when they recaptured and rededicated their temple from oppressors. Christians celebrate the birth of Christ, a son sent to redeem the sins of Man. In our particular culture, you can be an Atheist and still celebrate Christmas as a humanistic gift-giving day.

With the exception of the latter example, what do they most of these holidays have in common? The relationship between God and Mankind. Collectively, the days remind us that there is a Higher Being who cares what we do, how we do it, and if we learn from our interaction with Him.

In typical human-fashion, we here have surrounded these holy days with Black Fridays, Cyber Mondays, and making Jeff Bezos one of the richest men on the planet Earth. So, back to the aforementioned antidote and what I’m going to try this year: pure and simple. Find those who need things more than I do and satisfy some of their needs. Write an apology to someone I offended. Write or say some kind words to someone I may have hurt––or someone who just needs a kind word.  Give some gifts I made myself.  Give gifts that don’t cost outrageous sums of money, but rather show the receiver I anticipated what they enjoy, what they need, what they want…in other words, are genuinely personal. And, in the words of my favorite little movie,  “pay it forward” because I’ve been so fortunate.

I’ll let you know how it goes…I have a feeling this will be a wonderful Holiday season. I hope yours is, too.

    ©Copyright 2025 by Jayne M. Adams