08 Dec Baby Steps

Being raised in a Syrian Christian family, advent (the 4 weeks leading to Christmas Day) was a season of fasting and preparing our hearts to receive baby Jesus.

Denying ourselves in itself is not a virtue but it certainly prepares a path for virtues to follow.  If we can accept a state of hunger, for instance, then we can be patient and compassionate despite it.

Growing up, there was hardly any shopping or decorating till a few days before Christmas Eve. Times have changed. And we must change with it too. But the core values must be preserved or we will never find our way back home…where our soul and everything we hold sacred rests.

Needless to say it takes quite a bit of creativity…and love to keep the “fun” alive for the kids! Every year I would ask the kids to do something nice as a gift for the Babe in the manger. The results, unfortunately,  were borderline at best! This year in the spirit of giving forward, I decided to have a special treat for them under the tree or on the kitchen counter every day. I also (gently) remind them they should also put their hearts into doing something really nice for someone else like I do for them.

Then, in the evening as we pray and light the advent candle(s) (a fun but meaningful European tradition we have adopted), we sing a Christmas hymn and then each say what purposeful and difficult kind act we did that day. Baby steps towards the Babe in the manger…