Don't postpone joy until you have learned all of your lessons. Joy is your lesson.

                        —Alan Cohen

This month’s theme, Awakening Humanity, may mean something different to each of us. For some evolved souls, it is no less than spreading knowledge and love worldwide, feeding the hungry, and saving the planet.  My thanks go to the universe that such souls exist. Some of their efforts are profiled in our article “Sacred Activism: Love in Action can Save the World” on page 23. For me, I hope that my own personal awakening into self-expression, truth and spirituality feeds the greater good, even if in just a small way.

Part of my truth is that there are elements of the holiday season that I love, and elements that I hate. I love decorations, as long as they appear after Thanksgiving. I love family gatherings, cookie exchanges, and carols. I love festive foods and cocktails, and dressing up for parties.  I’m not so crazy about crowds, shopping, and the pressure to buy, buy, buy.  I’m not crazy about the pretense that everyone is happy, when many are lonely and in need.

So, this season, I hope to honor my own preferences as much as possible by staying out of the mall, taking part in small gatherings, and simply being kind. My grown children can expect to receive less this year, and what they do receive from me will hopefully be homemade, handcrafted, or consumable. I would love to receive the same in return (hint, hint).

I will also be supporting Operation Holiday, co-sponsored by the Women’s Club of Morristown and the Daily Record. This organization has been active in Morris County since 1971 with the mission to provide people in need in the Morris County area with much-needed (and wished-for) Christmas gifts. Last year, Operation Holiday raised more than $100,000 to help 500 people from 12 agencies. This nonprofit effort, run entirely by volunteers, has no overhead costs, so 100 percent of every donation benefits the program’s clients.   

The team here at Natural Awakenings wishes all our readers, distributors and advertisers a joyous holiday season and a new year filled with promise and peace~