A Wonderful Life
It’s Christmas Time Again and most likely by now most of you are overwhelmed
with last minute shopping, running to and fro trying to find that special
gift…baking, wrapping, putting up trees, lights, bobbles and decorations, and
basically going just a little crazy.
Somewhere along the way you are doing your best to find that elusive Christmas
Spirit and make this Holiday Season the best possible for your family and
friends.
Ok, I’m almost exhausted just writing that paragraph. Am I the only one, or does it seem to you that
Sometime, Somehow, Somewhere the real true and lasting meaning of Christmas got
lost in the hustle and bustle of the Santa Shuffle.
I know it doesn’t seem right to not to participate in the ongoing
commercially acceptable traditions of buying more. More Stuff, More than last year, More Bigger,
More Better, and More often than not, Way
More than will fit under the tree just to provide the required and mandatory allusions
that we are all living a Wonderful Life.
Do we really need all that stuff??? Is this really the meaning of Christmas?? We
know Better!
I don’t wish to come off as the Grinch who stole Christmas, and I
understand the inherent guilt that goes with this view point, but wouldn’t it
be nice if we could all just stop the Rat Race, Get off the crazy Treadmill,
Stop this spiraling cycle of Guilt, and get back to the values that were
intended to be Christmas. Aside from
what we all know and have heard since birth, there was a Child Born who grew up
and gave the Ultimate Gift so that we might all Live the Good Life. And even if
your religious beliefs differ, we all have the wee small voice of Goodness
within reminding us that to Give IS Better than to Get…reminding us that the
values that were so beautifully portrayed in that terrific old classic Jimmy
Stewart movie, It’s a Wonderful Life are values not to be set aside and
forgotten, regardless of how busy and frantic our lives become. For those of you who may never have seen this
movie, if you really want to get in the Christmas Spirit it really is ‘Required
Viewing’ and a must see. It portrayed
the value of True Giving, of yourself, your time, your love. When a single
gift, wrapped with love was enough.
While I am doing my best not to rant, or sound like an old Fogey, or
a wayward preacher who lost his congregation, I know I am too late, but when
you spend time away from the ‘Rat Race’ as Kaija and I have for these past 13
yrs, and when you live among folks who humble you daily with how little they
have and how happy they are, it is almost embarrassing to remember our life
living in the Land of Stuff and the need to have More…just for the sake of
having it. We have learned that you can
live with less, much less and still be Happy.
As stated, this is our 13th year living this wonderful
Cruising Lifestyle. It is now our second
year here in Fiji waters. We have
visited almost every island in this South Pacific Paradise. Certainly one of the biggest events in our
year was surviving a major Category 5 Cyclone Winston. Believe me when I say…Once is enough! In the past months we have been places and
seen sights that seemed otherworldly, but thru it all we have been reminded
time and again of the resiliency of the human spirit. It has been a year of sadness turned into
Joy. In short it has been a Wonderful
Year for us.
Kaija and I have been blessed beyond measure. We are fortunate to enjoy good health. We have wonderful friends and we are Truly Living
Our Dream.
This will be our last year in Fiji.
We look forward to visiting the Lau Group of islands before setting our
sails and sights for destinations west as we continue our adventure and quest
to see as much of this small world as we can.
We send out our Best and Warmest Wishes to each of you, regardless
of your persuasion, creed or religion for a very Happy Holiday, a Blessed and
Merry Christmas and a very Happy Healthy New Year.
Kaija & Gary
No comments:
Post a Comment