Sadness at Christmas
Christmas isn’t a happy time for everyone, even though that’s the way it’s portrayed throughout the season. Joy, merriment, delight, happiness—all emotions we’d like to have throughout December as we celebrate the birth of Jesus, prepare for family gatherings, and reach out to others.
Many face this Christmas while coping with the death of a loved one, a serious illness, divorce or separation, or even an estrangement of a family member. For you, the sadness of whatever your situation takes precedence over the joy you’d like to be feeling. My wish for you is that you can look beyond whatever pain you’re dealing with and let the spirit of Christmas come into your heart. It can be a major step in the healing process.
I spent a Christmas walking the halls of a large children’s hospital where our firstborn child spent seven weeks of her life. Those seven weeks of doctors, nurses, surgeries and more were all we ever had with that precious child. It was hard to see all the holiday decorations, the cheery Christmas greetings of the medical staff and hearing the Christmas music playing softly in the cafeteria and other areas of the hospital. But somehow, as the days trickled by, the love and warmth of the Christmas spirit in that institution worked its way into my heart. As I watched our Julie through a nursery window, kept in a sterile environment, I thought of another infant who had only a stable for a nursery.
Forty years have passed since that Christmas, but I think about it each and every year, and I say a prayer for all who are going through sad times at Christmas. I’ve been there. I know how it hurts. And I know how much it helps to open your heart and let Christmas come in.