It’s 5:26 am on December 13th, 2024, and I’m thinking about you and me. More specifically, how we enter the block of time between now and the New Year, a/k/a “the holiday season.” Each year we have a few options on how to do this, and it’s important we get it right.
As I was making my daily posts on social this morning, I couldn’t help getting exposed to the latest contrived controversy on X (formally Twitter). It seems the Cathedral in Notre Dame has reopened after a huge charitable giving campaign and now the large donors are getting dunked on in a viral thread suggesting that we are letting children die to rebuild a cathedral. The money quote in the post is “The sight of rich Westerners like David Geffen directing their philanthropy not toward saving lives, but toward improving the acoustics of the New York Phil fills me with visceral disgust.”
FFS people, if this is your idea of the holiday spirit, you're doing it all wrong. There is nothing charitable, kind, or giving about this kind of judgement. In fact, it reeks of poverty consciousness and makes us all less. It is the perfect judgement, preening, and virtue signaling for a post to go viral on social media today. And it’s certainly not feeding any starving children.
Let's not judge, demean, or mock other peoples' choices for their charitable giving. Someone can contribute to a cause like a cathedral that brings beauty to the world, and to helping feed a starving child. It’s not an either/or. Allow me to remind you of a universal truth: Prosperity is infinite.
The substance of all forms of true prosperity are infinite, and once manifested on the physical plane, create their own expansion.
This is demonstrated in all instances of prosperity manifestation, such as health, love, happiness, joy, and even money. All these forms of prosperity are boundless and infinite. The more you give away, the more you receive back. You can offer a smile to everyone you meet and yet you will never exhaust the supply you’re drawing on. Likewise, the more love you give away, the more you attract to you. Abundant health builds upon itself and fosters more. Happiness operates in the same way.
Please. Next time you see someone take a stand and contribute their time, money, or resources to any charity – even if it isn’t the one you like or support – be grateful. And charitable.
Which takes us back to our options as we head into the holiday season. Here are five possibilities…
Option One: Hectic Lots of frantic going on in this option. Last minute gifts, entertaining others, cards to send out, and a million things to finish before the holiday break. You’re running around so frantically trying to make the holidays great for everyone else that yours ends up being miserable. Decide to skip this option. Mental harmony is a choice. Selfishness practiced properly is a virtue.
Open Two: The Grinch Obviously, another option to skip. But that’s not always an easy task. (This one was my specialty for a lot of years.) Seeing others around you obvious to your challenges, pain, or loneliness can make you want to forsake the whole holiday vibe and descend into Grinch-dom. Please don’t. Look for the hidden blessings around you, even if it’s just laughing at how ugly your neighbor’s plastic wreath is.
Option Three: Sadness This could be your first Christmas/Hannukah/New Years without someone you love. (Or maybe your 15th, but you still feel the pain.) It’s okay to be sad for those you’ve lost. But also let their memory be a blessing. They want you to be blessed. As do I. So may the days land softly and remember that you are loved.
Option Four: Loneliness You might feel lonely and alone and all those holiday movies and people wishing you happy holidays may not land well on you. This is a dangerous time for those of us fighting addictions because addiction is really a disease of loneliness. Please don’t choose option four. Instead, please choose…
Option Five: Prosperity My best advice here is to turn your whole mindset around and choose generosity. Because you become the love you share. Volunteer at a shelter, check in on a neighbor, donate a toy for a tot, adopt a rescue, donate to a charity, hold someone's hand, or just be there to listen. I promise the simple act of trying to improve the holiday season for another living being will brighten your own. And that is my holiday wish for us both.
Peace,
- RG
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Wonderful post, Randy! So very real at this time of year and you so clearly cover all the options. I choose LOVE! Even with being unable to be in my home for over 80 days because of the hurricane and not being able to decorate, entertain or even have access to all the gifts I bought for others all year, I am still grateful and full of joy- my CHOICE!
I did not know you were unhoused with the storm! Please DM me if I can do anything to help.
Can't believe somebody would be so ignorant to criticize someone else's charity giving.. we got a self made multi billionaire up here in Canada by the name of Jimmy Pattison who donates tons to charity and he does it all anonymously, wanted to do a story on his giving to Israel/Palestine peace and was politely turned down.. leave you with a great line from a Dylan song, may your heart always be joyful, maybe your sorrow always be soft, and may you stay forever young, cheers Napa David
The framing of the post creates a sense of close ties between the author and his avid readers. Half past five is quite early in the morning to be thinking about work relationships. Or is this blog about more than just work, some kind of contribution? Charity sponsors are better off remaining anonymous. As for the winter holidays, the option of maintaining one’s own mental harmony seems to be the most appealing.
Prosperity TV
Wonderful post, Randy! So very real at this time of year and you so clearly cover all the options. I choose LOVE! Even with being unable to be in my home for over 80 days because of the hurricane and not being able to decorate, entertain or even have access to all the gifts I bought for others all year, I am still grateful and full of joy- my CHOICE!
I did not know you were unhoused with the storm! Please DM me if I can do anything to help.
Can't believe somebody would be so ignorant to criticize someone else's charity giving.. we got a self made multi billionaire up here in Canada by the name of Jimmy Pattison who donates tons to charity and he does it all anonymously, wanted to do a story on his giving to Israel/Palestine peace and was politely turned down.. leave you with a great line from a Dylan song, may your heart always be joyful, maybe your sorrow always be soft, and may you stay forever young, cheers Napa David
The framing of the post creates a sense of close ties between the author and his avid readers. Half past five is quite early in the morning to be thinking about work relationships. Or is this blog about more than just work, some kind of contribution? Charity sponsors are better off remaining anonymous. As for the winter holidays, the option of maintaining one’s own mental harmony seems to be the most appealing.