Holidays and birthdays throughout the years are what keep our (my) spirits up  - from Holiday to Holiday I looked forward to seeing the "kids" and our small circle of family and friends.

Over time these circles shrink, multiply or travel far away and with age our own circle has slowly grown smaller and smaller.

Perhaps one of the most heart-felt and devastating consequences of "progress" is our proclivity to substitute love of ourselves for love of others. I am not religious yet feel close to a spirit that is greater than all of us. The body of that spirit is nature and the sky and clouds are the face.

A holiday for us now is like a pebble dropped in a silent pool ... generating waves of happiness. Each wave representing those whom we love and often those who we simply know of - children in foreign lands, undocumented workers, an unemployed single mother.

It's easy to forget what is wrong when there is so much to remember that was right. And oddly your memory of the past improves with age, or so it seems to me.

Now when I see the faces of strangers I think more often  - are they happy? are they struggling? Why aren't they laughing or smiling?

Nothing gives me more satisfaction then to make someone sad laugh and conversely to make someone angry who is mean spirited or just plain ole selfish.

But I've found that each of us humans is like a rotten apple  ...... you cut out the rot and there's a lot of good left over.

There is always rot  - so we needn't dwell on our negatives as human beings .... instead work on what is positive and  eventually the rot disappears!

This is simple  ... it has nothing to do with praying  - it has everything to do with "doing"!

Do what you can - nothing more is needed ... and perhaps if you are unable to help yourself or others  - someone will still help you.

It takes all of us to find true happiness and love. Share yourself with others and hopefully they will accept your gift.

Merry Christmas