Remember the Christmas Spirit

Spread the Love NOW!

Many thanks to the three monks, Wade of The Middle Way, Kenton of Zen-Inspired Self Development and Albert of Urban Monk for organizing the Spread the Love NOW! Writing Project.

Christmas is a time for giving. It’s a time for love, and a time to spread some Christmas loving cheer. Click here to read how you can participate in this project.

Remember the Christmas Spirit

It’s not hard to show compassion during Christmas. The spirit of the season can overcome us with gratitude and we become motivated to show others love and compassion – even complete strangers. There’s nothing wrong with this, but what about the rest of the year?

We can do almost anything for a short period of time. But to make a commitment for the long-term requires more effort. We can write the check to the charity, donate to food shelters and buy our loved ones gifts which will make their Christmas morning happier. However, true compassion is larger than these activities alone and requires consistent focus and attention.

What about the cold day in February when compassion nudges you to give warmth and comfort to someone in need; or the long day in August when the sun seemingly refuses to set on a troublesome day for a friend or loved one? Will you remember the Christmas spirit? A commitment to compassion is our responsibility if we choose to celebrate its strength at Christmas.

No matter if the proper term is an act of random kindness, paying it forward, or showing unanticipated kindness, we are each called to show compassion at the proper time and in the proper way.

We know in our souls when we trade compassion for convenience. Our inner wisdom tells us this. This voice is seldom wrong. We know when we could have done more. The feelings of incompleteness and emptiness manifest itself in anger and frustration. But we can only be angry with ourselves.

Compassion is best measured when the other person doesn’t even notice it has been given. Holding the elevator door when you hear footsteps behind you; sharing a compliment about someone in their absence; and eliminating a problem for someone before they see it coming all reveal your heart’s true capacity for compassion.

The Chicken or Egg Theory of Compassion

In order to receive compassion, you must first show compassion. This is a basic and fundamental principle of the Law of Attraction because of its truth.

Truly compassionate people do not focus on their own wants and needs. These people understand when their attention is devoted to loving and serving others that compassion will find them. Their primary concern is to leave the world in better shape than they found it.

Therefore, to show compassion doesn’t always mean you have to be a recipient of compassion, first. Remember: Like Attracts Like. The Universe will pay it forward to you at the proper time and in the proper way.

About ten years ago I was between jobs. I had just left a lucrative job for personal reasons and accepted a new job which paid 66% less than I was previously earning.

One Sunday during this period in my life the Homily at Mass centered on the need to tithe – even when it’s uncomfortable to do so. Mary Beth and I owned an Audi which we intended to keep a few more years until Brandon, our oldest child, was old enough to drive the car.

Sitting there, we both heard our inner wisdom speak to us. We knew there were families in worse shape than we were who needed the car right now. We listened and donated the car.

The Universe listened to us, too. Within one week we received an unanticipated check from my former employer (unused vacation days and other fringe benefits with monetary value) for approximately the same amount the Audi was valued. This money helped to pay some bills which otherwise might have gone unpaid.

We showed compassion first (the egg); and compassion was repaid (the chicken).

Compassion is the glue that can hold our world together at times. Compassion reminds us of both the decency and the vulnerability of life. We all share this life together. Some people we love, some people we tolerate, and some people we avoid. But at the end of the day, we will be judged by how we offered compassion to everyone – and not just during Christmas.

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