Another holiday season is upon us. As one who is all-consumed by the sparkle and magic of the season, even I must admit that the past few years have been challenging in many ways. This year is no different. My heart can easily stray from the purity and warmth of the season with so much turmoil swirling about in today’s world.

As a result, I found myself contemplating how I might return to my childlike wonder of the holidays in the face of pain and suffering that has occurred throughout the course of this year. So much divisiveness over, well, nearly everything.

Can we find it in ourselves to acknowledge the turbulence in the world and at the same time commit to exuding peace and light to ignite hope in those around us?

Then it occurred to me. Perhaps this is precisely the reason I must work to find my inner child and rekindle the spirit of the holidays within myself. The season is marked by traditions that symbolize hope. They are built upon the promise of better days and better ways.

Maybe hope sparks the gentle and generous warmth of the season within us each year. Maybe hope fuels our generosity and our seasonal compassion for our human family. Is it possible that this same hope sparks our thoughts, words, and actions in such a way that the optimism of the holidays spills forth from each of us into wonderful acts of kindness and love? I submit that at the very least, hope must be a contributing factor.

Living Hope Out Loud

For this hope to continue to ignite an internal glow in each of us, mustn’t we then take it upon ourselves to lead by example? Can we find it in ourselves to acknowledge the turbulence in the world and at the same time commit to exuding peace and light to ignite hope in those around us?

I think this may be our call this season—to shine forth our inner light of love and hope for all to see, to once again connect with the magic and nostalgia of the season, and to embrace the childlike love and enthusiasm of the season.

In doing so we are not only creating hope for ourselves and those in our circles, but we are outpicturing that very hope in our actions. We are affirming in our activity the hope that fuels us is manifesting as an outpouring of generosity and spirit in all we do.

Let us look beyond unrest this year and turn to hope. May it be the shining star that guides us to live out loud the hope we have for better days and better ways.


Excerpted from A Christmas of Light and Peace a booklet from Unity.

About the Author

Jim Blake became CEO of Unity World Headquarters in 2016 after more than 20 years of executive leadership experience with some of the fastest growing and most innovative companies in North America. He is the author of The Zen Executive: Gems of Wisdom for Enlightened Leadership and was ordained a Unity minister in 2021. Visit iamjimblake.com.

More

No Results