There is a lot of discourse this time of the year as to what Christmas is all about. I think we all can agree that , first of all, the holiday celebrates and commemorates the Birth of Jesus Christ.

All else is trivia. But the trivia is important too. For a short period of time, during the cold, darkness of winter, with war, famine and sickness permeating so much of the globe, there is a spirit of almost overpowering love and genorosity in the air. You can feel it; you can see it; you can hear it. You can even taste it, when you enjoy delicious snacks and meals with friends and family.

And there is a concern for those less fortunate than ourselves for a short period of time. But it doesn’t last. My friend Claire wrote the following.

My friend Claire wrote the following: if you truly believe Love is in there at the centre of your being, then the reason we can’t feel it is due to distraction. If we look at what is distracting us, and work on letting those attachments go – then we find what we seek. This is much more complex than a mere post can offer, but something to ponder… 🙏❤️

There have been moments of pure bliss in my life. I wrote the following on my son’s 50th birthday (he is now 60) “…seems like yesterday he was a happy, inquisitive, impulsive and beautiful youngster. He’s been through horrific debilitating circumstances that most people never encounter – and now he is able to walk – on hesitant feet – through the cooled ashes of his first fifty years. We are visiting a warm and sunny part of the world with warm and wonderful people all around us. Tonight we will be at the Backstreet in downtown Royston – where I will listen with pride as my loved ones perform their music! Life is good!”

As I stumble through the 8th decade of my life, I find I have more time and opportunity to skip the distractions (sometimes) and let the pure bliss of love flow through my psyche. Religion is wonderful but we can experience love in Nature and amongst others of our species.

I am also of the age where I contemplate the “hereafter” (Not just finding myself in the next room wondering what I am ‘here after’ even though that happens a lot)

I think it was Albert Einsteine who wrote the following:

“Think of the universe as if it’s an infinite ocean. Think of yourself as a glass of water. When you die, the glass breaks, and now you’re back at the source. Energy can’t be created nor destroyed, it simply transforms from one state to another.. We are energy on a journey of discovery.”