Just had to pop in and say hello from my home to yours and share some love. Although I can’t find a source to credit, this thought often sustains me during this season of celebration:

Love is like a candle, shining in a dark place. Morning Fuel: December 24

Those words touch a special place in my heart. For me, Christmas is all about love. It’s about sharing gifts and time and creating experiences and memories that have the capacity to last a lifetime.

It’s often a joyous season. Some of us will welcome new family members to our traditions. Others of us will creatively modify our traditions to accommodate changes within our family.

Yet it can also be a season of longing and hurt for those of us who must rework all traditions because we’ve lost someone dear to us. Despite our best efforts, grief, that strange companion, reminds us of the love that we have lost.

But, the candle shines on. Love can pierce through the darkness.

Through the years, I’ve learned that when I can focus on the light instead of the dark, it’s a little easier to navigate the holidays. The love of my parents, my brother, my son, all those memories shine brighter when I focus on the good things they taught me and the meaningful experiences we shared.

The love I still feel for them still burns brightly.

As Anne Frank once wrote:

Look at how a single candle can both defy and define the darkness.—Anne Frank

Yes!

So shine on, candle of love. Illuminate for us all the best this season of love has to offer.

Merry Christmas!

May this Christmas be filled with warm memories of those who are no longer with us, the love of those who surround us still, and the joy and hope of what each day can bring.

And on we go. . .

Much love to you in this season of love,

P.S. Welcome new subscribers! So glad you are joining us. And thanks, as always, to all who continue to respond with your kind emails and thoughtful Amazon reviews of Morning Fuel and Rethinking Possible. You have no idea how much those mean to me!

P.P.S. Enjoyed a wonderful conversation with podcaster Yolanda Canny. You can listen here and visit her Heartfelt cards and Gift store here to see her handmade cards of inspiration.