Altar
Call – Opelika-Auburn News
Walter
Albritton
December
29, 2013
What to do when
Christmas is past
We spend great energy preparing for the
Christmas celebration. So what do we do when Santa has come and gone? Allow me
to offer a few suggestions.
Begin by relaxing. The rush is over. Laugh
a little. Be at peace. Pat yourself on the back. You made it. You did not
collapse under the pressure. Life goes on. You are still here so ponder ways
you can bring meaning to your life. Peace wins. Anxiety loses.
Be kind to the people around you. But go
beyond the people who care about you. Be kind to someone who irritates you,
someone who will be surprised that you do not return rudeness to their
ill-mannered behavior. Kindness wins. Rudeness loses.
Share something you got for Christmas
with someone, a person who needs it more than you do. If you got two new ties,
give one away. Have more cookies than you need to eat? Give some to a lonely
person who may not have any. Generosity wins. Stinginess loses.
Sit down and write a note to a few
people who mean the world to you. Let the special people in your life know you
are grateful for the difference they make in your life. Don’t be embarrassed to
say “I love you.” No lengthy epistle is necessary. A simple expression of
affection will be sufficient. Gratitude wins. Ingratitude loses.
Set some reasonable goals for the coming
year. To fail to plan is to fail. Think of things you can do to enrich your
life. Make a short list, not a long one. Then prioritize and get busy on your
first goal. Take action instead of merely reacting. Be responsible for your own
life. Be willing to make sacrifices to accomplish your goals. Strategy wins.
Lethargy loses.
Work on your bad habits. Got several?
Pick out one that bothers the people around you and decide to overcome it. You
can change if you are willing. Don’t talk about it. Just do it. Be patient with
yourself but be relentless in your effort to improve. You can do it. Fortitude
wins. Weakness loses.
Find someone who is suffering and offer
compassion. All around us are people in pain, perhaps someone who can’t find a
job, someone whose marriage failed, someone who lost a loved one, or someone
enduring a terminal illness. Offer compassion that goes beyond words. Offer to
go after groceries for an elderly person who no longer drives. Do something
that looks like love. Caring wins. Indifference loses.
Ask forgiveness from someone you have
offended. In so doing an enemy could become a friend. Don’t let a wounded
relationship fester. Offer a sincere apology. Without forgiveness life is
impossible. Is it hard to admit you were wrong? Of course it is! But you will
be a bigger person when you do it. Stop blaming the other person and take
responsibility for your own behavior. Forgiveness wins. Blame loses.
If you write columns for newspapers, be
brief for a change. People are busy watching football games. Give them a break.
Brevity wins. Verbosity loses.
Christmas is past. The New Year is just
ahead. Be a winner! + + +