“Inward clam cannot be maintained unless physical strength is constantly and intelligently replenished.”

–  Buddha

It’s that time of the year when we become Santa’s elves, working tirelessly to do the special things that make wishes come true for others.  That sounds so poetic; but sometimes I think we would be more honest to replace the word, “tirelessly,” with “to exhaustion.”  Santa’s elves live in the land of cookies and cocoa, and their boss is well-known for his jolly approach to life and his loving, forgiving nature.  We are sent out through our own temp service to add an extra shift to our day, and the boss I become with holiday deadlines looming would not be seen dispensing cookies or daring to be jolly.  I really thought that the holiday preparations would become easier when my children were grown — I guess I forgot that I would be just a bit older and maybe have less endurance than I had in my younger years.

Someday — maybe next year — I will write reminders on my calendar and begin my holiday activities earlier in the Fall.  Someday — maybe next year — I will remember to read the reminders and even do something about them.  I tell myself the same things every year at this time.  Not one Christmas carol says, “’tis the season to be stressful,” yet it seems that we have added that component and made it a tradition.

All year long we talk about loving ourselves so that we can be better equipped to love others.  Here we are, in the season of Love and Peace; and rather than take care of ourselves as we make preparations, we allow the stress of deadlines to turn us into angry elves who could use a good night’s sleep.  How are you taking care of yourself this holiday season?  What sorts of things could you do that would remind you to slow down and enjoy the pleasure of giving from the heart rather than just from the wallet?

Beginning today, I will give myself the gift of an extra hour of sleep each night, trusting that my body will work more efficiently when it is healthy and well-rested.  I will complete my gift-wrapping with attention paid to each person’s wishes for something special.  Then I will sit down and do something special for myself and for them.  I will write a note to each person on my gift list and tell them how special they are to me.  I will tell them that giving them a gift is a way of saying these things that falls short.  I will ask them to accept their gifts as tokens of the real spirit of giving that comes to them from my heart.  I have a feeling that simply stating the real spirit of giving will make the work more joyful for me.  I will find the calm and peaceful part of myself that reflects the season of joy.