I love everything about Christmas — the presents, the great food, time with the family or friends that I don’t get to see or speak to regularly. I love decorating my Christmas tree and the house, wrapping the presents and listening to the festive music. But there is something else that I love above all — it is the opportunity to pause and take a deep breath, relax and allow ourselves to experience moments of silence and peace. An opportunity to sense the connection with countless souls around the world. It is a reminder that regardless of where we are, what we are doing or how we are living, we are all here at this time in history for a reason. 

Today as I sit in deep gratitude for all there is and all there ever has been in my life, I am reminded of a very different time and experience in my life.  Years ago, I was going through a challenging time, faced with a scary health condition and feeling like there was hardly anything good about my life.  In my eyes, the world was a hostile place and life was about nothing but struggle, full of obstacles and injustice where only the chosen few can thrive, always and only at the expense of others like me.