Do you know that feeling that many of people get at Christmas – sometimes even if you don’t celebrate the holiday?  The one where you feel looser, more free?  Certain celebrations tend to bring that feeling out more than others do. Christmas is one of those celebrations.

It’s the feeling you get when you get caught up in the holiday fever, and just go with it.  It’s when you let your hair down, say “the hell with it”, and show your real self; the part of you that isn’t tainted or weighted down by all the “overlays” of hurt, anger, fear, anxiety, and guilt; the part of you that you know deep down is the real you, that somewhere along the way got sabotaged by the pain of your upbringing, or other life experiences; the part that grew layer after layer of protection, like an oyster developing it’s shell to protect its soft parts.  And like the oyster, much of it happened automatically, without your permission.

So you developed different aspects of yourself that protected the real, vulnerable you; parts that weren’t particularly nice, or likable, but that allowed you to function without getting hammered.

And then comes Christmas.  The spirit of openness, of “Hail fellow, well met”, tends to soften all those aggravating parts, allowing them to dissolve a bit, and the real caring, vulnerable and giving you is more able to come out.  Let it come out, as much as you’re able, let some others get a glimpse of who you really are – the you that you long to get get back in touch with, and know again.

And let yourself realize, every once in awhile, that yes indeed – there really is Hope.

Merry Christmas.