The Season of Love!

Christmas is everybody’s favourite time of the year these days, even those who do not understand the true meaning of Christmas, thanks to the commercialization of the ‘Holiday season’ as it’s come to be known!  More often than not, we are caught up in all the material aspects of this festival – new clothes, gifts, expensive food and drink, Christmas trees & Santa Claus – that we forget that above all, Christmas is a season of Love!  Jesus (whose teachings are the foundation of Christianity) taught that Love is the only way!

To bring back the ‘Love’ into Christmas, we must reach out to those around us that are in need of that Love.  Very often, these people are our own family members.  It’s easy to miss the signs because these are people we see day in and day out, so much so that we take their presence for granted.  It’s easy to get caught up in the daily routine of rushing to work or school, meals eaten in a hurry or in front of the TV, everyone going about their own business, phone calls with friends or colleagues, time spent ‘socializing’ on the internet, that we forget to even notice our own family members.  We know they’re there, we know each one has a role to play, but how many of us stop and notice the "un-obvious"?

•  a tired mother who’s been slaving in the kitchen all day long.  All she needs is a warm hug or a “thank you Mum, the dinner was delicious” to rejuvenate her tired spirit.
• a moody teenager who’s struggling to make friends at school due to a lack of self-confidence.  All he needs is a reassuring word from his Dad that in life’s ups and downs he will always have the love & support of his parents no matter what, to make him feel like he can conquer the world.
• a melancholy Grandfather who’s feeling more & more useless every day as his strength & faculties start to fail.  All he needs is remembrance from a child or grandchild of a warm moment shared in the past, to make him feel loved & needed. 

It doesn’t take much, just small thoughtful acts of kindness every day to make our family members feel loved & appreciated.  And there’s no better time to start than during the blessed season of Christmas.  Those of us who are away from our families for the better part of the year know that this is a time we look forward to most, that we long for, because NOTHING in this world can keep us from going back home for Christmas!  Being away from your family gives you the space and the time and the opportunity to miss them, to realize their value, to reminisce and to appreciate every precious moment spent with them.  But we must try to do this even if we see them every day!

It’s undeniable that Christmas brings a special feeling of joy, peace and hope to the world.  That is the miracle of Christmas.  That is the legacy of Jesus.  It’s up to us to keep that legacy alive!  In the words of a popular song –

“Don't get so busy that you miss, Giving just a little kiss, To the ones you love

Don't even wait a little while, To give them a little smile, A little is enough

How many people are crying, People are dying... How many people are asking for love

Don't save it all for Christmas Day, Find a way To give a little love everyday…”

Merry Christmas to you & your families, or in other words, spread the love!

Ode to a park bench

As I sit on my favourite park bench and soak in the tranquility around me – the greenery, the sunlight filtering through the trees like drops of golden honey, the soft whisper of a light breeze rustling the leaves, children’s laughter in the distance, the amiable chatter of morning walkers, the sweet chirping of mynas – I feel at peace.  It may not be a ‘walk in the clouds’, but it’s as close to heaven as you’ll get in a bustling city!  Tucked away, not more than a hundred metres from the busy main road, is the park where I go for my morning jog, or evening stroll, or when I simply need to clear my head and my lungs!  I call it my “Eden in the heart of the city” - nothing fancy, but beautiful nonetheless, with its canopy of intertwined branches, flowering shrubs, patches of grass, a children’s play area, stone benches, and a little walkway that runs around it. 

It is my happy place, peaceful and surrounded by nature.  I love to sit on the park benches after a jog or walk, and just take in the beauty around me, or meditate, or talk to God.  I feel His presence here, stronger than any temple or church.  I realize that the soft whisper moving through the trees is the same breath of life that moves through me, and with each breath, I feel my cares slowly start to melt away.  Somehow, nothing seems insurmountable here.

I don’t come here to make friends, but I feel a oneness with these kindred spirits lost in their own thoughts, with a smile or a nod of acknowledgement.  The children smile shyly at you from their games, and one time, one of them ran up to me and said “You have a pretty face”!  Kids say the darndest things, but it sure made my day!  And once, a differently abled little girl smiled at me and waved “hello” - sweetest smile I ever saw.  I love to watch the tiny tots with their proud grandparents, mutual admiration lighting up their eyes.  I’m always amazed at the youthful vitality of the older walkers, they seem so full of life, so young at heart with their saris and Reebok shoes, walking-stick in hand, calling out to each other, always with a smile of greeting.  They seem so much younger and light-hearted than most young people today!

My friends think I’m crazy to ride 15 minutes just to get to a park, when I could just as easily go to a gym or jog on the road.  But I’d choose ‘love and fresh air’ any day, over sweaty, claustrophobic, monotonous gyms, or risking one’s life (and lungs) running on polluted streets!  To me, the park is so much more than just a bunch of trees.  It’s the freshness of the crisp morning air, the familiar smell of roasted peanuts in the evenings, the joy of children’s laughter, the chatter of friendly voices, the smiles from complete strangers, the comfort of a higher presence.  I feel blessed to have found such a place, and I do not take it for granted.  I know many people still lack a little greenery amidst their concrete jungles.  But I wish everyone could find an “Eden” in the heart of their city, and make use of it - it does wonders for both body and soul!