I love this time of year! All the hustle and bustle, the glittering decorations, sparkling lights, and of course, the food. Christmas is just two days away and is a birthday party like no other. Amidst all the shopping and wrapping and cooking, I remind myself to pause and reflect on the meaning of Christmas.
The birth of Jesus Christ changed the world and Christmas is the perfect time to reflect on his life, and our own lives. Jesus taught many lessons and to me, it is the qualities that he embodied that inspire. First and foremost, Jesus embodied faith and love, an unwavering faith in his connection to God, an unwavering love for God. It was his faith that enabled him to manifest miracles. He life teaches us to have faith in God, faith in life, and faith in each other. He reminds us to love and be loving. He embodied compassion, wisdom, humility, and integrity, all qualities to strive for in our day-to-day lives. He also was capable of heartfelt forgiveness; who among us cannot strive to learn that lesson?
When I look back on this year, one of my most satisfying accomplishments was the publication of my debut novel, FINDING FELICITY. In this novel, the heroine, Madeline O’Connor, travels to Italy and stays in a monastery where she falls in love with Brother Anthony Lamberti. From Anthony, she learns many lessons. It is a love story and so much more. It is a story of choice, faith, decision, interpersonal relationships, discernment, moral values, the value of friendships, and the value of family. It is a story of love and forgiveness. The characters all struggle with their spirituality and their humanity on their journey to FINDING FELICITY, to finding happiness.
Expressing the qualities of faith, love, and forgiveness are, to me, the greatest gifts that Jesus left with us, and they are the greatest gifts we can share with ourselves and each other at Christmas or any time of year. How will you express faith, love and forgiveness this holiday season?
I leave you with Season’s Greetings and wishes for love and laughter during the holidays and always.
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