Getting Ready for the Holidays

I know it's been a very long time since I posted, and I have lots of pictures and fun things to tell about, but not time or motivation. Well here goes with a boring one.

I love the Thanksgiving- Christmas season. It embodies so much of what is important to me. Such a special time, but what happens--I allow myself to get stressed and harried. Every year I plan to do better so we can have that "Perfect Christmas".

I've thought and thought about how I can change the way I do things so that my attitude and feelings are more in keeping with the season. Recently, in a newsletter for the Alzheimer's caregivers, there was a quote that has changed the way I'm thinking about my days and it is making a real difference. Because it has become so meaningful to me I want to share it.

"Unease, anxiety, tension, stress, worry — all forms of fear — are caused by too much future, and not enough presence. Guilt, regret, resentment, grievances, sadness, bitterness, and all forms of nonforgiveness are caused by too much past and not enough presence.

Eckhart Tolle

These words have helped me finally understand what the scriptures have been trying to tell me. My only real concern is how am I living right at this moment. While I need to have goals and plans for the future, they can only be achieved by my minute by minute actions. Are my current thoughts and actions helping me to get where I want to be in the future. I can truly only control how I'm acting at the moment. What a relief.

Most of our time and energy should be involved in some form of service, either preparing for or the actual giving. With this new "understanding" I realize AGAIN I cannot change the world nor anyone in it. I can only change my attitude.

Probably you have all figured this out, and I'm just a slow learner, but I thought I'd share just in case.