The Spirit of Christmas

"It's definitely very seasonal weather going on here," said my colleague Kathryn as we caught up quickly over the phone this evening. Temperatures are at a high of 7 degrees in Dublin with blasting cold winds and frost ~ it doesn't really ever snow in Ireland. And unfortunately for us, the rains seemed to have stopped crossing over our valley here in the tropics, bringing with it the same ole level of humidity and sunny rays.

I must say, there's something about the sight of people huddled deep and down in their woolies that make Christmas a wee bit more Christmassy in those parts of the world with four seasons (and winter being in the right time of the year). The twinkle of the lights on outdoor tree decorations seem to sparkle just that little bit more, possibly cos our eyes are watering from the exposure to cold. Perhaps wintery weather drives the spirit of the season a bit closer as we hurry along our way to get out of the cold, in the hope of a warm home awaiting.

And that would be my point for tonight. Cos Christmas, as my religion teaches, is a time of hope. For the birth of Christ was the beginning of our salvation. As God-turned-man, he was also given free will - as with all of us. Hence, to me, it is the essence of hope - hope that he would make the right choices as he grows to be the man who ultimately allows himself to be crucified on the cross, to redeem us lost souls.

While we now know how the story did eventually turn out, we should try and recapture the emotions of the world back then - when they did not have the Bible to fast-forward the chapters and pages to the end. And so they had to wait. And wait with heart overflowing with hope. To the point that kings traveled from afar and shepherds with their flock came to pay homage upon his birth.

And so as we open our year-end pay slips, read through our performance reviews, empty the bank accounts for the start of a new school year and put up that new calendar on the wall. As we steel ourselves for next month's credit card bill, where the indulgences in line with the festivities catches up with us and our partners start planning for next year's getaway.

Perhaps it might do us some good to have some of that hope that the people did so many thousands of years ago. That somewhere down the road, our salvation (in whatever form that applies to you) awaits us as well.

If we but have a little more faith and resist the urge to fast-forward this, as we tend to do with so many other things in our live - our patience and perseverance might just reward us in the end.

Happy days ahead folks! Happy days indeed!