December 1, 2007

Being On Santa’s TEAM!

"The deepest experience of the Creator is feminine,

for it is the experience of receiving."-Rainer Maria Rilke

With the holidays upon us, I invite you to approach them with balance and being good to yourself. When you provide others with the opportunity to give to you, you are facilitating the greatest form of giving that exists—the ART of RECEIVING. By opening your heart to receive, you literally gift back your joy at their thoughtfulness. I have learned to bask in RECEIVING for I know it represents the essence of love. The time spent in creating or buying gifts and the loving hands wrapping and sharing it are true expressions from the heart. Givers are sharing a special part of their inner authentic self, which is the true meaning of the season. For me, the gifts of giving and receiving are touchstones of beautiful, tender moments that are sweet gifts for our souls. Sharing from the heart becomes a sacred moment forever remembered.

One day after a university class some years ago, a student asked me, “You give so much to us, what can we give back to you?” No one had ever posed that question. I was very touched and it said “volumes” about her. By providing others with the opportunity to give to you, you call forth their innate goodness. It can refresh your soul to be a receiver, and as your cup runneth over, you become a giver to others who provide you with the opportunity to give to them. Yes, we all acknowledge there are some “Scrooges” in life who take without giving or seem stingy, but they are the exception. Giving and receiving completes a divine circuitry of love. If someone says, “Oh, you shouldn’t have done that,” they unknowingly short-circuit your happiness in the joy of giving. As you lovingly give and receive, everyone is twice blessed.

When we remember the reason for the season is LOVE, we strengthen our connection to the divine and those we cherish and hold dear. The more open we are to giving and receiving joyously, the more magnetic we become to divine synchronicities and grace. With JOY as our magnet, we are propelled at God speed to luminous loving experiences.

In 2001, one of the many magical moments was inviting my two grandchildren, Chelsea and Skye to play “Secret Santa” with me. I bought huge Santa Claus shaped mugs and filled them with homemade candy and nuts fondly called YUMMY Kibbles & Bits. We first drove to my granddaughter’s apartment, who was then a Jr. at ASU and delivered the candy, a small Christmas tree with lights and a wreath. Alexis was tickled. After dark, we then drove to two special people homes that have been very kind to the children where they formerly lived. It was a starry night with some people putting up outdoor lights and decorations.

My grandchildren were all aglow and giggly, and one of them took a deep breath, dashed for the front door, rang the doorbell, put the present down on the step, and flew back to the safety of the garage bushes and Grandma. Together we waited secretly and breathlessly for the front door to open. Finally it did, and at both homes we visited, surprise and JOY abounded. We came home feeling full of warm fuzzies. We made hot chocolate, curled up in front of the fireplace and snuggled in together to read a new Christmas book about angels. The glow still lingers with the thrill of being Secret Santas. Those awful rumors about Santa Claus not being real are absolutely ridiculous. Santa is alive and well, and we are on his TEAM! That’s a wonderful acronym for Together Everyone Achieves Miracles. We truly received overflowing JOY giving and receiving in the sacred continuum of living LOVE. St. Francis of Assisi said: “Remember that when you leave this earth, you can take nothing that you have received, only what you have given; a full heart, love and courage.”

I invite you to be Secret Santas in whatever way makes your heart sing. Watching people’s face in the magic of holiday wonderment is a reflection of sweet simplicity. It’s up to us to cultivate balance and to be good to ourselves in the hubbub and conviviality of the holidays. Let us offer thanks that there is a special occasion and celebration for LOVE! Let us rejoice and praise the GIVER of all good in amazing grace

Treasure those in our lives we hold dear as priceless jewels and shiny continuous threads that help bind our life tapestry together. Holiday commercialism starts earlier every year, but the gifts that count the most can’t be bought. I invite you to follow your heart and not get sucked in by outer distractions. You can consciously commit to experiencing JOY and staying emotionally connected to yourself, friends, family and Source. Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find the true spirit of love. Forget surviving the holidays! Ask to THRIVE and be prepared to believe it and RECEIVE it. We siphon off our own power and creativity if we give it away by claiming how commercial the holidays have become. Taking care of YOU through planning and creating balance in your life is always the safety valve. The angels’ gifts to us are tidings of comfort, joy, peace and wonder–when we are open to receiving them.

I invite you to create a haven for being authentic and remembering what is REAL and important. The key to balance is focusing on what is significant to you and your family and create your heart’s desires accordingly. The Course in Miracles shares: “Perception is a mirror, not a fact. And what I look on is my state of mind, reflected outward.” I wish you firelight, candlelight, starlight and heart light in remembering love’s precious and golden moments.

Shine on and on! Remember, you are the light of the world!