It's a tough time of year...

I have written about gratitude and how important it is, but let's be honest...  Some days we don't feel thankful.  The holidays are upon us and sometimes they can be hard.  Maybe we miss a loved one.  Maybe the holidays remind us of a tough time.  This is a time we are supposed to reflect on all we have to be thankful for, but maybe you're just not feeling it.

I have heard a couple of different people talking about things things that got me thinking.  This time of year can also be filled with fear and envy.  A lot of things happen around the holiday.  Many people get engaged, announce new little additions on the way, and so on and so forth.  Family or friend gathers have us talking about all the great things that happened in the last year, but what if you find yourself scrambling for something to say.  Maybe this year was a tough one.  Maybe this year you feel broken.

I have been being informed of a lot of people going through some pretty tough things right now.  I have seen postings or been told about suicides, loss of jobs, struggling marriages moving towards divorce.  The holidays are not immune to people hurting.  Actually, they can amplify the pain we feel.  Don't get me wrong, this is one of my favorite times of the year, but it is also a reminder of the beginning of the most difficult time in my life.  I find myself spending a great deal of time reflecting on the year and the new year to come,

The reason I am writing about this pain that I see around me is for us to do something about it.  A kind word or nice gesture can change the course of someone's day or week.  Think about a time when you were struggling and the things others did that made a difference.  Reach out and pay it forward.  Remember that we may know nothing of the struggles of those around us.  Kindness doesn't cost  anything, but can be worth so much that no dollar amount can be placed on it.  I challenge you to be a light in the lives of those around you because you never know when you may need someone else to be that light for you!

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