The idealistic image of the holiday season focuses on being with family, but whether we are with blood relatives or not, remember we are all family whether you believe we all came from God or we all came from the dawn of civilization originating out of Africa.

Sometimes we need to be reminded we are all family and therefore this time of year can be very sad and depressing, whether we alone or even with other people. Maybe out loved ones have passed on. Maybe our loved ones have rejected or even hurt us. Maybe we just don’t like each other very much because we are very different from each other and find spending time together challenging and stressful.

Still, this season is the time of love, of giving, the most important of which we can give is all the things love embodies–forgiveness, mercy, grace, kindness–all the elements of unconditional love, which can be received from and given to anyone, not just with blood relatives.

And yes, presents are nice, but the best Christmas gift I have ever received is the gift of inclusion at this most wonderful time of the year.

Hoping this gift is the one you enjoy at Christmas too, no matter where you are and who you are with, even if that means just being with yourself at this blessed time of year.

Merry Christmas I say in closing to you because I now believe in the gift of Christ who made personal relationships with God and his unconditional love possible.

And I hope your own beliefs fill you the same joy and love this holiday season regardless of whom you are with or not because believe it or not, you are loved unconditionally too, whether you believe or not.

KAITLIN ANN TREPANIER

Specialist Writer Speaker Social Entrepreneur Founder and President

of Connecting The Dots With The Respect Principle

Smashwords interview @  www.smashwords.com

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December 21, 2019