I Kept Christmas Simple and It Kept Me Simply

It wasn't the usual run-myself-ragged, spend-too-much, wrap-too-much, decorate-too-much kind of year.

Not the usual guilt, like I'm not good enough if I don't bake a ton of cookies, hold holiday parties or send Xmas cards.

In fact, the older and more peaceful I get, the less interested I am in the outside of Christmas and dare I say it, Christmas in general.

I've never really been into all that work.  It's not that I was humbug in attitude; it was like it all didn't connect for me.  It always seemed so over the top.  I'm pretty sure that I spent a few past lives in different faiths. That would explain why I might have these feelings about modern Christmas craziness.

Sure, I loved playing Santa Claus when my children were little; that was important for me to watch their little hearts and big smiles anticipate a fun, magical day.  I look forward to the same with grandchildren. And Jesus was and still is, very much so, a beautiful mentor for me.

I am in love with the birth of Divine Consciousness.

I am in love with we all are ONE.

I am in love with seeing God in all.

I want to stay in more service, prayer, meditation, gratitude and thanksgiving instead of more stores, websites or parties during this sacred time of the year.

I kept my list simple and kept it easy, so as to remember my loved ones,friends and the most important people who support me all year in my daily life.  I re-ordered a few yearly favorites and had them wrapped and shipped, and wrote important checks to loved ones and charities.  Done.

Since I was going out of town, there was no need to put up a tree or decorate inside my house.  (Are you gasping yet?) I'd be gone for two weeks so why go through all that effort and waste? It would still be Christmas, with or without it.  With owning my own business and a few more balls in the air most of time, I relished the extra time to write a few more chapters in my book and put my feet up instead.

I'm just not going to do it to myself anymore.  I'm not going to overdo. It's not what Christmas is about, at least not to me.

I kept it simple, checked my list twice and  then I even headed off on December 16th to a week-long yoga gathering.  In years past, I said, "No way."  I can't possibly do that the week before Xmas.  How could anyone?

Except this holiday season, there I was with 800+ other people who decided it was just as important to chant the divine's name, heal and clear their souls as much as it would be to celebrate Xmas the following week.

I kept it simple and it kept me simply in the Divine.

xoK