My Christmas Wish

Merry Christmas, all!

It's that time of the year again.  Everyone seems a little cheerier, regardless of class, color, or creed.  For those of us who have worked in the food industry, we know that this time of the year brings friendlier customers and bigger tips.  For those of us who have worked professionally we know that this time of year is usually accompanied by a bonus.  For kids, this time of year is married to thoughts of presents and Santa Clause.  Everyone's happier.

Notice why?

I can't say I'm anti-materialism.  The concept of acquiring as much as possible is the American way, like it or not, but why do we have such a deeply seeded emotional investment in our material possessions?  I'm not saying that we should stop trying to acquire wealth, but what if we took a step back for a second and looked at our priorities.  If I asked you to name the top five things you love in this world, what would you list?  Suddenly a list of family members, friends, and experiences start rushing up.

Okay, not fair, how about top ten?  Twenty?

Let's be straight here, if we all made a list of everything we love, and then the amount of time we spend with that person, or working on that relationship etc., you'd be astonished.  Many people like their jobs, some people love theirs, but at what price do you take that job?  What's your opportunity cost of your employment?  You miss a lot in life when you're constantly seeking money, but that shouldn't stop you.

So here's my Christmas wish.

I wish that we all can sustain this same togetherness throughout the coming year.

I'm not asking you to quit your job to stay at home, but what if, instead of working overtime, you had a family dinner?  College students:  What if, instead of going out that Saturday, you take just one night that month to visit your family?  What if every single one of us took five minutes out of every day to let someone whom you normally forget to acknowledge know how much you appreciate them?  If we could accomplish something that small, maybe these times won't seem so hard.

Live Hard, Laugh Harder.