A friend recently posed the question: “Why do the holidays bring out the worst in people.” I know where she is coming from. People get crazy this time of year. Shopping, traffic, shopping….
It is a question worth pondering. Why the holidays bring out the worst in people…in us? As I thought about this, I couldn’t help but focus on the “us”—more specifically, “me”. It is easy to perceive others as the problem. It is difficult to see our own implication in the frustration.
As much as I strive to live “I am third”, the more I realize that I am not capable of living this consistently. I am also aware that people are as frustrated as I am. Perhaps, it is because the holidays bring out the worst in me that I perceive the worst in others.
Our happiness during the holidays is a choice. Another friend, Coach Andy Lausier, would remind me that I get to have gratitude this season (to move from “have” to “get”). The apostle Paul began his letters with the greeting “Grace and Peace”— charis (a derivation of chairein) from the Greek tradition and shalom from the Jewish tradition. It is a greeting to unite people. It is a thought that should be in our minds as we greet others during these harried times. We get to greet others with thoughts of “grace and peace”. We get to remember that we are not alone in our frustration. We get to remember that we are connected and the interconnectedness that fuels our frustration can be the same interconnectedness that fuels of joy. It is a choice.
Be your best today; be better tomorrow!
Carpe momento!