It is a bit funny, that this season of joy and holiday spirit, can turn into a guilt-fest if you’re not careful.
There are all sorts of reasons to feel guilty, if you look for them. Sometimes people are helpful enough to point them out to you even when you’re not looking.
I feel a little guilty presenting this list to you. But here goes, a holiday list of reasons to feel guilty.
- Having clothes on your back
- Having a roof over your head
- Giving expensive gifts to people that don’t need them
- Receiving expensive gifts that you don’t need
- Buying gifts for yourself and them giving them to your wife to wrap and put under the tree to “surprise” you. (editors note: this is too specific and people won’t relate, you should probably remove this one)
- Having food to eat
- Eating too Much Food
- Spending too much
- Spending too little
- … The list could go on and on and on …
It is interesting to note that amidst all the Christmas messages of gift giving and consumerism a very strong message has surfaced over the years of anti-consumerism. The message against exploiting Christmas have been going on for so long that they have become a powerful force unto themselves.
Picture the scene with me, a giant protest has broken out. There are two fences. On the left a fence holds back everyone in favor of Christmas buying and gifting and general consumerism. On the right another fence holds back the anti-consumerism crowd. And you walk the narrow path in between. Protestors on both sides banging the fence and waving their signs as you attempt to walk your path down the middle.
It’s hard to walk the path of balance when people are yelling from all directions that you should think a different way. As always, when there are two opposing sides to an argument and people fighting for their side to be right, the truth is somewhere in the middle.
This holiday season, and in your life in general, consider your actions calmly and compassionately, let go of the voices of guilt (no matter which fence they yell at you from) and live in joy, guilt-free.
We are blessed.
Namaste,
Kevin
