I don’t think there’s a more schizophrenic time of year than Christmas. The “hustle and bustle” of the season both energizes and exhausts us. “Peace on Earth” is what we wish for, despite what has become of late a season of terrorized gatherings worldwide. It’s the “Most Wonderful Time of Year” according to Andy Williams’ 1963 carol, “…with the kids jingle belling, and everyone telling you ‘be of good cheer’…only truth be told, it’s not for many of us. The holiday season can even cause those of us who are usually content to experience loneliness, a lack of fulfillment, and depression.
I, myself, have been in a funk since before Thanksgiving rolled around. And not until Christmas Eve when we took a drive to see some local houses all decked out in holiday lights did I even remotely begin to feel as if I wasn’t related to that cave-dwelling green monster with a heart “two sizes too small.” The Grinch in me had clearly forgotten what the spirit of the season really meant, and I had completely dismissed the actual reason for the season, too. [Read more…]
