Gift of Belief

One of the greatest gifts in life can be to have the ability to believe in things we cannot see. Belief in the power of love. Belief in each other. Belief in ourselves. Belief that when we trudge through dark days, it will get better.
 
Belief is magical. Belief can also be a fragile concept, easily lost. And when belief deserts us, life can lose much of its sparkle.
 
When you think back to when you were a child, what did you believe in? Ghosts? Santa? The Easter Bunny? The Tooth Fairy? Now, as adults, some of those things seem more than a little ridiculous. But for a child, these symbolic figures may be at the very heart of many holidays and milestones in life. After all, losing your first tooth is a huge deal. 

When each of our children reached the stage where they no longer believed it was Santa Claus eating the cookies left out on Christmas Eve, I knew a part of their childhood innocence was gone forever. Personally, I’ve never truly given up entirely on Santa Claus. I love the ideas he represents. Generosity, magic, and the incentive to be good. For me, the magic isn’t found in the concept of receiving presents, although a five-year-old may not agree with me.
 
Belief is described as something one accepts as true or real; a firmly held opinion or conviction.
 
Many people keep their own personal beliefs to themselves. History is littered with examples of where sharing one’s own beliefs resulted in ridicule, or worse. Sadly, the world is full of people quick to judge or persecute. I suspect each of you has experienced this in some way.
 
Having belief is vitally important in every area of our life. After all, if you don’t believe something is possible, you’ll remain stuck exactly where you are at right now.
 
You’d never take any chances if you didn’t believe something different, something better, was possible. Why study in school if you don’t believe knowledge can take you places? Why bother to work through the inevitable struggles a relationship will face if you don’t believe in the joy you’ll find in love and friendship?
 
To change anything, you must have belief. To love, you must have belief. To heal, you must have belief.
Belief in the little things is as important as belief in the most significant things.
 
It’s easy to believe in things we can see. But what if you dream of building or creating something new? It’s much harder to believe in things that don’t yet exist. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be the one to bring them into existence. It all starts with belief.
 
If belief is so important, what can we do to both grow and protect our own beliefs? There are no easy answers.
 
Believe in those things that will make this world a better place for everyone. Watch for signs that will help strengthen your belief.

Imagine my surprise, the weekend of our son’s wedding, when my flower pot took on the shape of a heart. I promise you there was no trimming. This was all nature. A sign perhaps that we should all believe in the magic of love and the promise of happily ever after? I like to think so.
 
The holidays are a time to celebrate some of the many special things we believe in. We do this through decorations, music, and generosity. We prepare favorite foods and enjoy spending time with close friends and family. I am most familiar with Christmas traditions, but I appreciate others have their own traditions they follow in celebration of their beliefs. There is Hanukkah and Kwanzaa. Some celebrate the Winter Solstice. There are many other celebrations, too.
 
If you begin to feel overwhelmed by trying to fit in too much this month, close your eyes and take a deep breath. Remember to focus on what are the most essential beliefs behind your own celebrations. Bring to mind special memories of years gone by. It is often the smallest of details that become special with time. It might not have even seemed all that special when you were experiencing it, but now it’s a precious memory you hope to hold on to forever.
 
Find a simple way to make a new, special memory today. Set your big to-do list to the side for a bit and maybe bake a batch of cookies with a child. Call up an old friend you haven’t spoken to for a while. Stick an extra dollar or two in the red kettle. There will always be people that need your help.
 
Hoping you are finding a little magic in every day. Smile when you notice a small sign and find comfort in your beliefs.     Kim