Saturday, December 23, 2006

Change Christmas

On this day (December 23rd) in 1823, the first published record of the poem, "Twas the Night Before Christmas" was submitted to a newspaper, the New York Sentinel, anonymously and entitled “A Visit from St. Nicholas". Prior to this poem a sleigh and reindeer were not associated with the patron saint of children, St. Nicholas. Now this poem is world renown and read by many on Christmas Eve.

Eight reindeer in all are mentioned in the poem without a word about Rudolph and his red nose. It would take a department store copywriter, Robert May, at Montgomery Ward in 1939 to invent a story to give away to their customers. It was based on "The Ugly Duckling" and a deer who was ostracized because of his physical abnormality which would latter prove to be just the thing needed. Ten years latter, a songwriter, Johnny Marks, with much poetic license, rewrote the story setting it to song. The popular singer, Gean Autry, then breathed life into the most famous reindeer of all creating a new facet to Christmas traditions.

So, it started with an idea, and putting that idea out there to where now Christmas has more dimension of flying reindeer, a sleigh, and a ninth reindeer Rudolph. What ideas are you holding back that could change the collective consciousness our world?

Thursday, December 21, 2006

To Lead A Better Life

"To lead a better life I need my love to be here..." are the opening words from the Beatles "Here, There and Everywhere" hit. Do we need a special someone here, there, and everywhere to lead a better life? The romantic in me says YES! But, the recovering co-dependent says sheepishly "no". I think it's "no" as the voice is really quiet.

It is so much easier to have another love us, someone, and at times, anyone, to show us how special we are. It feels good like the warmth of a fire on a cold winter's day. It takes a special person to be willing to trudge out in the cold snow while they maintain their inner warmth to enjoy the winter wonderland of those Arctic chills of life circumstance we have all experienced.

It's hard to love ourselves during these times while we hang on to self limiting beliefs including those false projections from others. It takes work to continually remind ourselves that we are lovable, have value, and are worth knowing. These are just some of the things that are needed in our winter survival pack.

To stoke the inner fire of warmth you may want to say aloud as you trudge "All I need is inside me now. All the love I need is inside me now. All the joy I need is inside me now. All the happiness I need is inside me now." The more you trudge while reciting this and feeling it to be true the more warmth you will gain from within.

If the outer world begins with the inner world perhaps we could start "falling in love" with ourselves. We could start with compassion for that inner child that feels rejected, insecure, or unloved. We could spend time with ourselves discovering our preferences in activities, food, and the like. Maybe it would be like dating our self with an agreed date and time including the activity scheduled for once a week.

Perhaps the phrase "I need my love to be here" is love for ourselves each moment in the here and now. The love we all desire is not found in another yet is enhanced through another. So, once we carry our love for ourselves with us we can "lead a better life" instead of relying on another and dragging them around "Here, There, and Everywhere".

So, to all those experiencing the winter chill, or know someone who is, remind them to stoke their inner fire by chanting "All the love I need is within me now"!