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Life Ways Christmas Love When I was a child, Christmas equaled gifts...and hopefully lots of them. All the toys and games I received during my childhood Christmases, however, are in a closet somewhere today. They no long seem to matter. Among the things I received was one gift I didn't leave behind in my childhood. This gift had no price tag, and in fact, it could not be bought for any amount of money. It was the priceless gift of love. Love is a gift anyone can give. And more and more in these days of economic difficulty, love is a gift we need to give. Love is a gift as simple to give as sharing extra time with a member of our family or a friend who is lonely. Pause to listen, be present and empathetic, offer your attention and concern. The effort to reach beyond the limits of your own concerns may come awkwardly at first. It requires a risk. But I have found that when I put aside my own fear of rejection and step beyond the walls of fear into someone else's heart, I experience a very real freedom. I discover a new purpose in what I am about. Advertisements claim that their product will give you a sense of who you are or will take away your problems. (Oh, if it were only that simple!) But, honestly, can you truly "find yourself" by driving the latest car? Or by dyeing your hair a certain color? Is this really "fulfillment"? I don't think so. Despite what advertisers claim, self-fulfillment or happiness cannot be bought in any store. You'll never find it on a shelf with a price tag attached to it. Happiness is only found when we stop seeking it and start giving it away. Sadly, this way of discovering true happiness is not considered often enough. That's too bad, because there is nothing this world needs more than love. Many feel their own broken background inhibits their ability to be loving and caring. Nowadays, troubled family situations and abuse of some sort seem almost to be the norm. It is true that a person's own experience of love gives him or her the inner security needed to share that love with others. But all of us have dents in our lives with which we struggle to cope. Is it true then, that if we haven't received love from our parents or family, we will always be incapable of loving? Ultimately, each one of us is capable of loving, because ultimately we each have experienced love--each of us has been loved by someone. If we were not loved by that Someone--I am speaking now of God--we wouldn't exist. The choice is mine; the choice is yours. If you have lacked the experience of being loved, know that there is a Reality beyond that, a Love you can depend on, build your life on, and be absolutely convinced of: the love God has for you personally. God is Someone whose love can energize us and fill our life with meaning. Incarnation is God's gift--Love Incarnate, model of all gift giving. Your gift of love extended to someone else not only gives you a sense of fulfillment, but it brings the same peace and happiness to the person whose life you touch. Your love is creative just as God's love is creative; it brings forth new life. This is the greatness of your gift. God desires to make his love tangible through you. He wants you to be his hands, his feet, his smile--so that he can touch the lives of your brothers and sisters. The Christ Child--and those you touch--will treasure your thoughtfulness far beyond anything you could buy.
Copyright © 1999-2003, Daughters of St. Paul. All Rights Reserved.
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