'21/#54 What Is Christmas?

    It is that time if year when everything is all about Christmas, but what is Christmas? It is a religous holiday that is most dear to those of the Christian faiths and to some that is enough. Others look at it as a time of good cheer and good will, while some see family gatherings as the high point of the season. Some see the Christmas tree, or Santa Claus, and some will focus on the gifts while others are not sure what it is at all. 

   In this day of internet socialization we have come across a number of people who aren't sure if it is still Christmas. When the kids are grown and the wonder about what Santa has brought is replaced by knowing that someone, whether a relative or friend, has given you a gift is it still Chistmas? When the kids are out of the house and Christmas day comes to two people in an empty nest, is it still Christmas? When seniors gather in community centers or nursing homes is it still Christmas? Yes it is!

   I won't try to tell anyone what Christmas should be. I am not smart enough to tell someone else what Christmas is to them. But I would like to quote someone much smarter than me. Dr. Seuss spoke to people of all ages and I think summed it up best when he had the Grinch say, "It came without ribbons, it came without tags. It came without packages, boxes, or bags. Maybe Christmas (he thought) doesn't come from a store. Maybe Christmas means a little bit more."

   To me "more" is the operative word. More can be anything to anyone and can only be found by looking into your own heart. Thanksgiving is past and we gave thanks for what we have in our life but Christmas can be so much more. There is that word again. Take the time to reflect on your life. Not just the present but the past and the future also. To me Christmas is a time to give thanks for what we had, for what we have, and also for what we may have in the future. It is a time when we can give not just gifts but ouselves to others. Time is such a precious gift and becomes more so when it is shared.

   So this Christmas don't fret about how things have changed because things will always change. Remember how things were and how they have changed and look forward to how things will most certainly change in the tomorrows that come.

   So please have a Merry Christmas however you celebrate it as we celebrate it in our home on wheels in Zephyrhills because.....

     Home is where we park it,

   Frank and Mary