“Merry” Christmas…”Happy” Holidays???

During this time of year you hear these phrases (Title Above) thrown out left and right.  Many people absolutely love this season because to them it’s a time of cheer, a time to relax, a time for family and friends, good food and drink, and of course let’s not forget presents galore!  The flip-side to this coin however is that for many this isn’t a Merry or Happy time.  So many lives are filled with sadness and stress during the year and it is often only amplified during the Holidays.  Maybe they are dealing with illness and the future seems bleak, maybe they have lost a loved one and are feeling very lonely, maybe they can’t keep up with the “Jones-es” and provide all the things for their kids that the other parents can, maybe they literally don’t have food or warm shelter for their family…whatever the case may be, there is a lot of heartbreaking sorrow during these times and I think we should all be more aware of this.

I know I know…buzzkill right?  I’m not saying that we should not enjoy the many blessings that we have, but I think that the knowledge of this should alter our perspective on things.  We should definitely be more thankful and appreciative for what we have been blessed with and I think we should also be spurred to action to share these blessings with others that don’t have as much.  We are often so focused on getting during this time of year that we forget that this season is much more about the heart of giving.

And in this spirit of giving, I’d like to offer a word of encouragement to those who may find themselves in the position of “Unhappy and Un-Merry” this season…Your immediate circumstances may seem very disheartening, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel…a “GIFT” that has changed the game for everyone who excepts it…and a PROMISE for a perfect future:

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For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. (John 3:16-17)

9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. (Romans 10:9-10)

Photographer’s Note:

“It is so difficult to express my feelings about this photo. Probably the saying that : a photo speaks, 1000 words” is true. For us westerners Christmas is the peak for our religious festivities. What a contradiction to see a homeless, poor, devastated, hopeless person with a Santa Claus hat. For the history: I was passing the slam city- a part of the city of Chennai- where very poor families live.Some of them are fishermen, others just search among the rubbish to find something to eat. This poor old man was crawling among the stinky rubbish and took a good look at us stopped by, in a car. His looks still haunts me…. My contribution to Christmas and with a hope that we shall stop seeing images like those in the future…”