Christmas 2015

Merry Christmas from Baltimore Black Woman!

Tonight’s post is from my friend and Guest Writer, Paula Shockley. Her Christmas letter to friends and family is the best gift I could have received; what with all the shopping and decorating for The Holiday and such, I sort of forgot what Christmas really means. Her letter reminded me why I celebrate, and I hope it reminds you, too!

Hello Family and Friends,

I hope this greeting finds you well. I wish you and yours a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

I recently found myself driving home on autopilot. Has that ever happened to you? For an instant I had no idea where I was, or if I had passed my exit. Then I saw a sign that reassured me that I was still some distance from the exit I wanted. It was frightening for a moment to realize that I hadn’t been paying attention, but many of us live on autopilot all the time without giving it a second thought. We go through each day, just doing what we think we’re supposed to do: following our schedule, expecting nothing new. But if the “new” came, would we even notice?

When we are so focused on the daily details of our lives our greater purpose gets lost. It can feel easier this way. After all, there are so many problems in this world that we feel powerless to solve. So many issues in our families and communities seem beyond our reach. Even our health, and the health of those we love can be out of our control. So we disengage. We turn on autopilot and we tune out of life so it will hurt less, and not seem so hard. But when we dull our senses to the difficulties and challenges of life we also find that the joys and pleasures of life lose their sparkle, and no longer have the strengthening and renewing effect that they should have.

As we prepare to enter a new year I invite you to turn off autopilot and make every effort to live on purpose, live intentionally, fully engaged! Make your presence a gift to those whose paths cross yours, and receive the gift of their presence in return. And when life feels chaotic, and you feel the desire to flip the autopilot back on, let the peace of the One who will come when we least expect reign supreme!

Let There Be Peace