Christmas, the season of hope

The stockings were hung on the fireplace with care in hopes that.....well, that's it exactly, "in hope". The holiday season is the season of hope. We all hope for different things; goodwill, peace for man. You hope that you receive the perfect gift that you asked for or the perfect gift that you did not expect. The majority of us consider gifts as a tangible object, something we can touch or experience like a bad Christmas sweater or that great vacation to somewhere without snow. Wait...... It's not Christmas without snow so I hope we have a little snow.

How often do we use this word, hope?  Every day. If you think about it, we hope for and against things all the time. The definition of hope is "To wish for something with expectation of its fulfillment". This word is used more during the holidays than any other time of the year. It is because the message of hope is what Christmas is all about. Three wise men hoped that a star would guide them to their savior, and Mary and Joseph hoped that there would be room at the inn, which led us to the story of hope being born into the world, the birth of the Christ child. We tend to celebrate it as a birthday. I have always looked at it as the heralding of a message that God had hope in all of us, and that he would send his son down to earth to tell us, "I have hope in you".

The mere fact that you have a religion or a faith tells me that you are full of hope in something you cannot touch or see. That is hope and faith personified. Hope is an incredible gift given to us that we each experience in many different ways throughout our lives.  I saw hope in my wife's face when she said she would marry me, I saw it in my mother and father-in-law even when we were very young and planning to marry, and I saw hope in the faces of my children when they were born.  We all have hope in each other and others who have no hope will find it in us. Just as the story of the Christ child, the miracle of hope is a power that lies within us. It was a Christmas gift given to all long ago.

It would be easy for me to forget about that gift. I could resign myself to the reality of my situation, but I don't because I have hope. All around the world there are people who will go to bed hungry, sick, and homeless. They are not sure what they will do about tomorrow, how will they make it through the next day, and in the truest spirit of Christmas, they wake up and somehow, some way, they still have hope.
      
Hope can be contagious. It can grow like a great tree taking root and spreading its branches everywhere, like the story of Christmas itself. Hope is that miracle. Let this gift shine in each one of you this holiday, a bright spot to light the world. In all of us is the ability to give this gift to each other -- the phone call to a friend you know might be down, telling them that they are loved and not alone; the child you sponsored who would not have food, clothes, or a gift this holiday, but now does because you let them know somewhere someone cared and now a seed of hope is planted in their hearts; the donation you made to help fund research to find a cure for a disease has given so many who suffer hope that one day they might be cured; the simple act of being mindful and kind to one another gives us hope in humanity.

According to the Christian bible, Jesus fed, clothed, cured, forgave and loved all people by his actions. He gave hope to the world. No matter what religion you are or if you have a religion, it is a wonderful message. Live a life of good deeds and of right actions; What you do every day will bring hope to you and those around you.
     
As you celebrate your faith this time of year, give the gift of hope to someone who might not have any. Hope can be so fragile. The lack of it can leave you empty. The strong presence of it can be miraculous. Hope is the first Christmas gift ever given. It is eternal.

To all my friends who support and show generosity to me and my family and to all the researchers, doctors, and organizations that champion all those who are battling adversities, thank you for the hope you have given me and so many others.  To all of you who struggle this time of year, never give up because a long time ago the message of hope was born into the world. Have a truly blessed holiday and New Year!

I'm Pat Younts and I Move To Live