53 - A Wonderful Life

Today I hung out at Sara's apartment with Tyler (her husband) and Nan (another sister). We ate dinner, drank hot cocoa, and watched It's a Wonderful Life.

I love Christmas.

I especially love the message of that particular movie. It got me to thinking about my life and how I affect people. I would like to think that I influence people for the better, and that if I had never been born their lives would be at least a little less happy than they are now. But it also makes me want to do better, to make myself better.

Christmas is a time for giving all of yourself. It means giving your time, and your love, and sometimes your money. Christmas is about celebrating everything that you love and cherishing it. For me, Christmas is about celebrating Christ and His greatest gift. But for those of you that believe differently, the stereotypical Christmas Spirit is a giving one.

I don't care what denomination you are or aren't. Christmas is a time for everyone. There is always someone that you have influenced for the better. There is always someone that has had life-changing experiences or feelings because of you. Maybe not in the "I just saved your life" kind of way - like when George saved his brother from drowning - but in a special way that only you could have made happen. You might not know who it is or what you did, but does that really matter? It's when you try to do things for the attention that you are doing it for the wrong reasons.

I have a challenge. Do something nice for someone, only anonymously. It doesn't have to be big. Here are some ideas:

• Write a compliment on a sticky note and stick it to the car of someone who usually annoys you 
• Scrape the windshield of your sister's car without her knowing (something I should consider...)
• If you're buying fast food, pay for the car behind you 
• Shovel your neighbor's walks after a snowstorm
• Make dinner for someone you know is having a hard time and leave it on their doorstep
• Write inspirational quotes and stick them to random doors 

There is one thing that everyone can do all the time that can always remain anonymous. And I think it helps the most.

• Pray for people you love, and people you don't. Pray to love everyone. 

I don't care if you believe in God, or not. I do. So if you trust me, do it for me. Even if you don't think it'll help, do it for me. I believe a prayer goes a long way. I've seen lives change by them, countless times over.

There is a reason it's called the most wonderful time of the year. Christmas is the one time of year that people band together and feel the same thing. They all feel that giving spirit. Christmas is about love and happiness. Christmas is about family and friends.

Christmas is realizing how wonderful your life is, and wanting to make life wonderful for everyone else.