You Probably Know How the Song Goes. It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year. Yet, For

You probably know how the song goes. "It's the most wonderful time of the year." Yet, for some, it's not so wonderful. How is it that the holiday season can strike so many in such various ways? Some people love the holiday lights while others can't stand to hear Christmas songs for the entire month of December (and then some). There are those who like to find just the perfect gift for a loved one while other people think that the holidays are much too commercial.It can be a wonderful thing to give (and to receive) a gift at any random time of year, one that has no real significance at all, not a birthday, not part of an office gift exchange, but rather, just because you saw something that would make the recipient's eyes brighten and perhaps tear up a bit.So, which is better? To take part in commercial holidays or no special reason days?

Another thing I ponder this time of year is the gathering of family. Some families only get together in November for turkey dinner or in December to sit around a table, eat a little ham and exchange gifts. But be it only once (or twice) a year, I guess I'm glad this time of year exists. It essentially helps some people make these connections, some delightfully and others, reluctantly. At these gatherings, you can reminisce about fond memories or get into heated conversations about each person's current state of being based on physical, financial physical or other conditions. But as homes are lost (500 plus structuresin California due to wildfireseven in December,at the time of this writing), or other times due to flood, or the lives of loved ones are lost because 'it was their time,' it may be good to be mindful of all the things that we DO have. We could be one of those many fortunate ones to still have that roof over our head (thanks for that one, Elsie), food on our table, an abundance of friends, or the ability to walk (whether assisted by a cane or walker or unaided), hug or laugh. Perhaps something this time of year is meant to do is to make us mindful of all the people we care for in our lives, warm clothes, the ability to work, the capacity to take care for people, and to be mindful of those who have less and could use some kindness shown to them. As we consider this time of year, we thank you, dear families for coming to see your mom or dad, daughter or son, grandmother or grandfather. Thanks to friends and volunteers and the workers who keep it all going. We'll see you here.