What does it mean to be unhappy? Is it a general feeling? Does there have to be an acute event which precipitates your unhappiness? Is it a pathological unhappiness? Is it something more?
Despite the reasons; let’s unpack for a moment the reality that in America (and elsewhere) many people purchase things as a way of coping. Think about that for a moment; we buy products because we believe the product will make us happier. I wonder if sometimes, (perhaps most times) it is not the product which actually makes us happier but it is the act of self-agency, the act of controlling our circumstances (in this case, through purchasing a product) which makes us happier.
This past weekend was “Black Friday” and “Small Business Saturday.” Monday was “Cyber Monday.”
Essentially, the days following Thanksgiving are devoted to snapping up the best deals you can find. Now, I’m all for a good deal, and I’m not here to tell you shopping is evil. However, I wonder if we are looking for control, for peace, in the wrong place…
I know that the answer to that question is quite obvious for those of us who have followed the calling on our lives to serve and love others. However, I wonder if, at the beginning of another cycle of holiday music, presents, and family obligations, we might benefit from taking a moment to pause and center ourselves on that which brings us energy & vitality.
If we are to have the resiliency this season to care for those around us, we need to remember the source of that which gives us life. May the Spirit of the Creator flow in, through, and around you this holiday season. May you find joy in the quiet moments (and the loud!) May you find peace in the midst of the busyness. May you find hope in the life which Jesus lived and inspiration in the death he experienced. May you be like those weary travelers so many years ago following a star toward redemption, giving up control, and just enjoying the journey."