In the nativity story of Jesus’ birth on Christmas, the Three Wise Men were led by the Christmas star to visit the baby. It is from this star that, even 2000+ years later, we put a star on the top of our Christmas tree. It is said that this star represents hope, love, and miracles.
I’ve been writing a lot lately about fear and its debilitating effect on leadership, and what that can do to an organization, but I’d like to step away from that at the end of the year to reflect upon our lives and world in general. Let’s instead focus on the hope, love and miracles that are possible.
There’s an energy around Christmas that is unlike any other time of year. I’m not talking about the frantic energy you feel at the stores as the day approaches or the inundation of holiday movies and music that you couldn’t escape from even if you tried. No, I’m talking about something more pure, more genuine. It’s an energy of love where we seem to care about our fellow man more than we do any other time of the year.
Here's a perfect example: We see news footage of people buying or donating presents for underprivileged children, or helping to prepare meals at a local food pantry – but usually only at Christmas time. Is it that the news only covers these kinds of events around Christmas, or is it that, for many of us, we only extend ourselves out at certain times of the year. We act patriotic on the Fourth of July, we act neighborly at Halloween, and we act with additional kindness at Christmastime.
We seem to save these special occasions to give the best of ourselves. Why? Why is it that the rest of the year we allow things like socioeconomics, political beliefs and simple everyday life get in the way of connecting with our fellow man. Why do we wait until a specified time of year to show the additional kindness and spirit of love that lives inside each one of us every day of the year.
While everybody focuses on Christmas as the most important holiday this time of year – and it arguably is – I also like looking forward a week to New Year’s Day. As somebody who works as a career mindset coach, I appreciate that New Year’s comes with the tradition of creating resolutions to hopefully be better people in the New Year.
This Christmas, when you’re feeling that energy – that spirit, I hope you’ll keep it going straight through the New Year and I hope you’ll extend it deep into your everyday life no matter what date the calendar suggests. We don’t need special occasions to be good to one another.
The Three Wise Men knew to follow the Christmas star. Something in them send that hope, love and miracles would be found if they would just follow. Find that Christmas star and follow it all year long.