Bridging the Years with Peace

Recently I had a dear friend visit from Australia, and she commented on how "full-on" it was for us once mid-October arrived. She was referring to our American "fourth-quarter", beginning with Halloween (not widely observed in Australia), followed by Thanksgiving (another American tradition), and of course, heading right into Christmas or Hanukkah and New Year's. And she was right! This season is jam-packed with shopping and gifts, decorations and preparations, feasts and treats, costumes and festive wear, parties and concerts, activities and events, hosting and traveling, traffic, crowds, and more traffic. After weeks of all the hustle and bustle, the virtue of peace may be the last quality you would use to describe this time of year. Perhaps as we begin December, we can challenge ourselves to take a different approach - an alternate tone - to the busyness around us.

In the Christian tradition, it would seem the Christmas season is a time exclusively for joy, excitement, and celebration. And while Christmas Day itself may be painted with those adjectives, the weeks leading up to it are meant to be much more pensive and reflective. Advent is a time designed for more quiet reflection and preparation for the impending arrival of the Lord and Savior. While we can surely argue that all the decorating and shopping and cooking is indeed preparing for this joyous event, we sometimes fail to consider the readiness of our hearts, minds, and souls for such a significant occasion.

Hanukkah, observed in the Jewish faith, is a time of faith, hope, and gratitude. Commemorating the history of the holiday and the miracle of the oil inspire themes of perseverance and the triumph of light over darkness. While a time of joyful celebration, it is also a time of reflection, including examination of our personal well-being.

Regardless of any religious traditions we may follow, we can take the messages offered and apply them to our own lives as we transition between the year coming to a close, and the new year on the horizon. We can use this time, not only for the joyful and busy preparations, but for the contemplative reflection and introspection, while nurturing a sense of peace within and around us. With peaceful minds and hearts, we can better shape not only the way we conclude the current year, but also how we welcome the upcoming year. Take time to consider what tone we want to accompany us into the new year. Is it one of chaos and stress and overwhelm? Or rather would we prefer it to be one of serenity, preparedness, and peace?

The demands of the holiday season are unlikely to disappear, but perhaps we can find ways to bring moments of peace to ourselves amidst the busyness. On your way home from work or shopping, perhaps take the long way home that, while extending the length of your travel, may experience less traffic and opportunities to encounter frustration. Avoid the stress and the crowds that accompany in-person shopping, and perhaps do as much as you can online. Maybe rather than feeling obligated to always blare your favorite Christmas tunes, choose times throughout the day to just enjoy silence. Consider setting an alarm in the evenings to cut yourself off from your to-do list or preparations, and instead spend it on some quality self-care. It’s OK to push pause on all the things that we have to do. It's OK to send your regrets for a party invitation. It's OK to not decorate, or to purchase a pre-made holiday dinner. It's OK to not have it all together. Christmas will come regardless. The New Year will arrive whether we're ready or not. But what would it mean for our overall well-being, if we chose moments of peace and stillness for ourselves, over having everything unrealistically picture perfect at the expense of that well-being ?

On a deeper level, in additional to nurturing peace in our habits and environment, we can find ways to cultivate peace in our hearts and minds. After spending time in reflection, perhaps we can identify things that we can accept and let go within our lives. Maybe that means releasing something that’s been frustrating you. Perhaps it looks like forgiving someone we are at odds with. Maybe it means accepting yourself fully, flaws and all. And regardless of what you were or weren't able to accomplish this last year, finding contentment with what was, and hopeful for what lies ahead. Each negative thought, feeling, or behavior that we release bring us one step closer to peace.

Not only does embracing peace allow us to arrive at a more fulfilling close to the current year, but it helps us enter the next with the same vibe. Unfortunately, we usually don't have the luxury of a much needed vacation after the holidays. When December is over, we don’t get to settle into January as a "rest month". On the contrary, it starts a brand new year and with it comes a whole new list of demands and expectations - some put on us by society, and some we impose on ourselves. Similar to how a mother aims to bring new life into the world in an calm, comforting and loving environment, we can strive for the same when welcoming the arrival of a new year. Rather than carrying with us the stress and chaos from the hectic holiday season, with proper preparation, we can pave the way with gratitude, acceptance, hope, and peace.

In the next few weeks, spend some time as the season was intended…as a preparation for the milestones that lie ahead. Examine your heart, your mind, your soul. Contemplate your heart’s desire and life‘s purpose. Resolve what you want to get out of this new year. And in the process, invite peace. And then share that sense of peace with your household, family, friends, neighbors, coworkers, and so on. Bring that peace with you as you transition between the years.

Wishing you a joyous holiday season filled with family, friends, togetherness, joy, and perhaps most of all, peace.

"Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me." - Harlene Wood & Sy Miller