I’ve been indulging in Hallmark “Christmas Movies” over the past couple of weeks. They’ve been the perfect distraction from my disease progression and escalating pain levels.
They never used to be my thing but the more I watch, the more I fall in love with the beautiful locations they are filmed in, the Christmas scenes and to my surprise, the scripts aren’t half bad. The 2023 versions are definitely more in tune with the reality of life and the equality of interactions between men and women and the juggling of careers, life, and family.
Sometimes, storylines are a little predictable, but often, the message within it is thought-provoking and very moving.
A Christmas miracle or a much anticipated kiss between the leading lady and man is, of course, always captured at the end of each movie.
Christmas Miracles
The very first Christmas miracle was so far removed from our often romantic concept of Christmas today.
Mary and Joseph had a very uncertain and tumultuous time ahead of them on the first Christmas. They needed to find a place to stay. They needed to protect their baby from harm’s way.
Jesus was born in a stable and laid in a manger. This is where the stable animals would have been fed. Nothing five star about the experience…or even one star for that matter.
Not unless you include the amazing star in the sky, leading the shepherds and wise men from afar to baby Jesus.
Fast forward to 2023, and life still doesn’t always run smoothly. There will always be challenges around the corner.
The perfect winter scene Christmas card also isn’t a true reflection of the real meaning of Christmas.
It doesn’t mean we can’t experience “Christmas Miracles” or special moments in our lives, even in the midst of challenging situations. Often, our miracles will be private and understated, just like the stable where Jesus was born. Nobody would even know the absolute joy these little miracles have brought you.
Or they can be public, perhaps more public than we would like as my husband and I have just experienced. We recently found ourselves struggling to make ends meet financially due to years of surmounting medical expenses. We were losing any hope of finding a solution. In desperation, we decided to set up a Gofund me account, something I never thought we would do. What resulted has been a miracle of connections and such generosity from friends old and new, acquaintances, and complete strangers. We almost achieved our financial goal, but even more importantly, we found a village. A village of people who truly care about us. We found a priceless gift.
Christmas miracles can come in ways we weren’t expecting, but we need to be open to receiving them. If we are caught up with thoughts of “we’d never do this or that”, we may just miss out on something amazing.
If we are too busy attending parties we don’t really want to go to or hosting family get togethers we are doing to keep up appearances etc, we may miss the significance of a seemingly small gesture, which has much greater meaning.
It’s these kinds of understated moments that can be so uplifting, and emotional. You just know it’s your own special “Christmas Miracle”.
A Very Real Script
Sometimes real life is the best story script ever. I’m often overwhelmed by moments where a series of “non scripted” events, result in an outcome I couldn’t possibly have imagined.
As my blog followers know, my life is pretty simple due to the limitations my bone disease imposes on me.
While I could do without my pain levels, the simple life is one I’ve happily accepted.
As a result of my health, a couple of years ago, I nearly missed out on a series of Christmas miracles, which proved to also be priceless.
In November each year I begin the annual task of writing our Christmas Newsletter and Christmas cards.
My husband and I have lived in many areas of Australia, with his work as an Anglican Clergyman and mine as an Executive Manager in the finance industry. We’ve made life-long friends along the way and we love hearing their news and sharing ours. So as you can imagine the mailing list is not short.
Physically it is really beyond my capabilities now and I was contemplating giving this annual tradition a miss.
Yes, I could possibly send emails instead of writing cards and printing newsletters, but there is something so special I think, about receiving snail mail in the letterbox at Christmas, especially a card.
It’s probably the romantic in me!!
So, I decided I needed to persevere with my annual tradition, at least one more time. I paced the task over 3 weeks and by the first week of December the pile of mail was ready for my husband to take to the Post Office.
Mission accomplished, I turned my focus to other things.
There was one special card in the pile though. I had found some old photos of my eldest nephew and me from a Christmas about 30 years ago. They brought back such beautiful memories for me and, given I don’t have children of my own, I felt it was time to start giving these kinds of tangible memories to my nephew. I was hoping he would enjoy the trip down memory lane.
A week after the cards were posted, I received a text from my nephew thanking me for the photos and letting me know they “made his day, they mean a lot”…his words!
His message brought me so much joy. I wasn’t sure if he’d want them and I hesitated in sending them. I was so glad I listened to the still small voice saying, “just send them!!”
After knowing the joy those old photos brought both me and my nephew, I couldn’t believe what arrived in the mail the week before Christmas.
Among some beautiful letters from old friends with lovely Christmas greetings was a card from a very special lady. I’ve mentioned before I migrated to Australia, with my parents and brother, from the Uk when I was 3 years of age.
My parents built a new home once they arrived, and we quickly became friends with the family next door. Our new Aussie neighbours welcomed us into their hearts and home. I grew up with the boys next door from age 3 to 11, and I have such special memories of those years and the adventures we shared together. It was not unusual for those adventures to leave us grounded and only allowed to talk to each other across the front yard fence.
The Christmas Card catching my eye in the pile, was from my neighbour all those years ago. She is a lovely lady and we both look forward to our annual newsletters. As I opened the card, her letter fell out but so did something else. It was a photo. Not just any photo….it was a photo of me and the boys next door, standing outside my childhood home. I would have been 4 years old.
I immediately saw the significance of this photo. I had sent my nephew old photos which meant so much to him and a few weeks later, I received an old photo which was so unexpected and so special to me.
I couldn’t have scripted it if you’d asked me to!! A simple, understated Christmas miracle.
Christmas Connections, Past, Present And Future
Christmas conjures up all kinds of emotions and memories for us. Some beautiful, some sorrowful, and some we’d much prefer we could forget altogether.
Ultimately, though, the underlying theme of our memories and thoughts is how they connect to our lives and the lives of those important to us. The connections of our past, present, and future.
It’s probably why the famous ” A Christmas Carol” script, and the story of Scrooge, has lived on through the years. It’s focused on the past, present and future connections in life and the choices made. The choices which can change our own life scripts for better or for worse.
I could have chosen to send no Christmas cards. I had every genuine reason to stop this yearly tradition. Had I made this choice, I would have missed out on my special Christmas blessing. I would have missed out on being a blessing to others, as well as receiving many cards of love and support from lifelong friends. That year, we even received an unexpected phone call from friends we hadn’t spoken to for 15 years….all because I chose to send the Christmas card and newsletter.
I could have chosen to allow the fear of becoming vulnerable and asking for help through a Gofundme page, stop me from receiving so much love and support from far and wide.
In the busyness of life, or perhaps the solitude if you are on your own, don’t be afraid to slow down and just be quiet so you can hear the still small voice in your heart prompting you to do something good, even if a little scary or a huge effort. Don’t be afraid to expect your own understated miracles, not just at Christmas but all year through.
Think carefully about the choices you make. Sometimes when we choose not to do something, we may miss out on a blessing we never expected to occur.
My 2023 Christmas Card List
So, here we are, four years later, and my disease has progressed further since Christmas 2019. I’ve yet again contemplated not sending our annual newsletter and writing Christmas cards and I know I’d be forgiven under the circumstances.
It’s not an easy task for me physically but as I look back on the previous Christmas miracles when I take tomrto connect, how can I not continue to reach out to those in our lives who mean so much.
My Christmas miracle this year may not be connected to writing cards but the point is, I don’t know that. I have a choice to connect or disconnect. I’m choosing to connect.
I guess you know what I’ll be doing over the next week! I’ll be doing it with joy in my heart, knowing it’s a choice….my Christmas choice to spread a little love, a little gesture to others to let them know they are remembered. Who knows, the Christmas miracle this year might not be mine but be for a recipent of my card. It might arrive just when someone needed a little pick me up.
Chronic illness is limiting, there is no question about it. However, there is always something we can do, within our limitations, which may bring someone else some joy and in turn can be a blessing for us too.
I hope this season, there are events for many people that are understated, simple, perfectly scripted life moments, which turn into your own perfect little miracles.
My hope and prayer for you is that a Christmas miracle is awaiting, as you make a choice to engage meaningfully in this most wonderful time of the year.
Love
Sam xx
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I am so glad the tradition survives. One of the few things I like about the holiday season is getting Christmas Cards. It reminds me that someone thought enough of me to pay for a stamp/ It is an honor to get a letter these days.
That is nearly $0.65 these days. Or say about as my mom wrote hers out. “Darn it Marge (as my dad used to say) think of all the money we are spending on those cars. Then my mom would say yes that is exactly what the ladies at the grocery stores say about new cars. LOL
My dad used to work for general motors, he was a GM man through and through. He could not understand why anyone bought any kind of car but a GM.
I never heard him talk about Christmas cards again.
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I love that Rick. I think your Mum and I would have been good friends 😊
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This is a beautiful, thoughtful post, Sam, and just what I needed right now, as I’m going through a rough period and getting stressed about the holidays. I also love getting/sending holiday cards. I know many people have stopped sending them over the years, but I still enjoy that annual connection (even now with Facebook!). Like you, I space them out so I can manage. Thanks for the reminder that this season can hold special moments and not just stress!
Sue
Live with ME/CFS
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I’m so glad you still love sending cards too Sue.I hope you are able to do it this year and receive that beautiful blessing of connecting with others. Thanks so much for your encouraging comment. Take care, Sam xx
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