Christmas was always such a busy time. There were gifts to buy, travelling plans to arrange, meals to prepare...the list could go on and on. The general buzz of excitement was always present, of course, and as the number of days until Christmas dwindled down to an amount capable of being represented on one hand, that excitement grew in proportion. School was out. No more homework; grueling hours of taxing brain activity. Children were free. Free. Knowing that freedom would go by all too quickly. Every day counted. Every hour. Every minute and every second was as precious as silver or gold.
Yup. The exciting time of Christmas was almost here. Time to rush to the stores for last minute shopping. The hustle and bustle that drove parents from amiable to downright irritable. But that was all a part of Christmas.
Down the street, Christmas trees lined the roadside. Searchlights flashed and waved, announcing the availability of their overpriced firs. Radios everywhere played the same songs over and over; mostly renditions of "Santa Clause is Coming to Town" and "Up on the Rooftop". Echoing through each house and shop; the sounds became a dull drone; hardly noticeable.
This was Christmas to most the world. A whirl of activity. A brilliant flash of joy, that came once a year, only to fade during the rest of the 365.242 days. It was a time to be merry; lighthearted.
But it would only last a day. Soon after it would all go back to normal. People wouldn't greet you with a smile as they passed. People wouldn't wear cheerful sweaters adorned with snowman and words declaring "peace", "joy", and "love". After Christmas, everything would lose its sparkle. Grey, not color, would overtake the Earth once more.
This was Christmas to most of the world...but not to Linus. You see, Linus understood something about Christmas that not every body does.
Yes, he enjoyed the time with family and friends. He enjoyed the gifts. The food. The lights. The decorations. He loved Christmas. But his joy wouldn't be fading once the day was over and done. When Christmas day ended, his world wouldn't fade to grey. That joy; that wonderful Christmas joy wouldn't leave him. It was a part of him. A gift that would last the whole year round. Even on the hard days, when school got rough, or bad times found their way into his heart, there would always be that joy, that light deep inside him, that could chase the darkness away.
It was a gift everyone is offered...but not everyone accepts. They think it's for weaklings. They think they can manage without that gift; they can make it on their own. And while a certain number take the gift; their hearts shining the whole year long; those who reject the gift...their lives turn to grey.
Linus never understood why someone would choose darkness over the light. Joy over that terrible grey. Why would someone choose misery and hopelessness over hope and love.
Linus just couldn't understand it.
But he would continue to try; to try and spread that light. People would reject it. Push it away. But Linus would never give up trying. Because from time to time, someone would accept that gift. And then he would see their world go from darkness to light. See the joy that overcame the hopelessness. And that was worth it.
Jesus was the most wonderful gift one could ever give, for Christmas or any other day of the year.
And as long as Linus understood that...every day was Christmas.
Because that gift was Christmas to Linus.
...
Jesus was born for us. It is a gift that we are all offered. What will we chose? To turn our backs; rejecting the chance for a life filled with hope, or accept it, and let it change us for the better.
I chose to accept, and my life has never been the same. :)
What will you choose?