There’s Never a bad time for the Good Works we do.
Do you ever wonder if the good works you perform really make a difference? What are the expectations you have when you do the right thing, make the right choice, or give more of yourself than expected? Do you consider yourself someone who’s willing to help others without any kind of reward or recognition for doing so? Are you a different person around the Holiday Season, and do the things that drive your emotions go through a temporary period of change?
It’s Christmas time. There are two lessons I’ve learned that relate to the December Holiday Season. The first is that the good works we’re more naturally inclined to do during the holiday season should be good works we consistently aspire to do all year long. The second lesson is that the specifics don’t matter when we’re able to share good works with others. Specifics aren’t the goal. The goal is to do good works in ALL that we do…to the point that it becomes one of our character traits we carry with us all year long.
I’m not sure how the tradition of buying gifts for, and receiving gifts from, others at Christmas began, but it’s a tradition that seems like it will go on forever. Did you ever wonder why? My answer is that we all measure the value of giving and receiving gifts with one of the most powerful and positive emotions called LOVE. The love that’s shared isn’t impacted by the amount of money spent. It’s the thought that went into the giving. Love then gets amplified by what some believe is our very most powerful emotion, which is GRATITUDE. No wonder people just generally seem so much happier during the Holiday Season. Wouldn’t it be great to feel that way all year long?
Christmas relies on physical gifts to fuel the love and gratitude that are directly associated with the giving and receiving of presents. But I wonder….I wonder if there are other ways to fuel love and gratitude aside from physical gifts at Christmas time. Do you know someone who lost a loved one over the previous year who will be spending the first Christmas without them? Are you aware of any, what I like to call “Holiday Orphans,” people who aren’t able to be physically present with their loved ones this holiday? Do you know anyone who might struggle with the cost of physical gifts but would sure welcome some additional food for their table this time of year? Could “good works” performed by us be the perfect solution so that both the giver and receiver of those good works experience a healthy dose of love and gratitude?
There may be more opportunities during the Holiday Season than at any other time of the year to perform random acts of kindness, provide love and support to the people we know could use it most, and spread good cheer to all the individuals we may encounter without hoping for anything in return. That’s how performing good works is supposed to play out. The good works we perform provide instant increases in our emotions of loving others and feeling loved, along with a healthy dose of gratitude for all that’s right in our own life. It’s a magical feeling that’s available to all of us every day of the year.
Think of what our world would look like if we all included good works in all that we do at home, at work, and in our community throughout the entire year. What if we offered good works not only to people we know, but to everyone we encounter throughout the day? What if each of us consistently focused on never-ending improvement with the good works we offered to others? Well…can you pause for a second and envision what that would actually look like? What impact would increasing the good works you perform each day have on your own demeanor?
Without a doubt, the holiday season provides a perfect time to ramp up your good works and experience an amplification of love and gratitude. It’s the best time of the year to practice caring, compassion, thoughtfulness, and love for others. Easiest way to get started? Randomly call someone you know that might not be thrilled about the holiday season this year. Could be due to a health issue, the loss of a loved one, relationship stress, mental health struggles, loneliness, or financial struggles. Your good works don’t need to solve their challenges as much as just providing a listening ear and a dose of love and understanding. The way you feel after doing this will be the inspiration that will motivate you to make performing good works a habit that you’ll engage in all year long.
My favorite song this time of year is one that can bring me to tears. It’s Frank Sinatra’s version of “I’ll be home for Christmas (if only in my dreams)” and I always imagine someone singing it from a foxhole in Europe during World War II. I utilize it to remind myself to be aware of others whose holiday may not be what they were dreaming and hoping it would be. My favorite movie is “It’s a Wonderful Life” and it gets me right at the beginning when all these different people are praying for the main character, George Bailey. Near the end of the movie, George’s Guardian Angel leaves an inscription in a book for George that reads “Remember, no man is a failure who has friends.” This is a wonderful time for you to think of others that you can be a friend to. Please do and make that call right now.
So, I wish you “Merry Christmas” or if you prefer “Happy Holidays.” May the new year bring an increase in the Good Works that you attempt and succeed at. Hey…I Love You and I Believe In YOU! GiddyUp!