24/12/2022
A NOT-SO MERRY CHRISTMAS
A Reflection on my Pre-Christmas Trip
This year's Christmas season was very different from the rest of our holidays in previous years.
Recently, I had a week-long trip to meet relatives from the south. It was a LONG land trip! It took us over a day to get there with not only hours on the road, but also ship and boat rides in between. There were plenty of inconviniences along the way such as bumpy roads, traffic, the struggle to find a restroom, and I even got sick due to the bad weather conditions. At some point, I found myself hating to come for this trip because instead of enjoying and relaxing, I got so stressful.
Amidst all of these, I kept myself quiet and focused on the experiences that I had and hopefully bring a lesson with me as we get back home. It was the visual of construction workers from where my dad was working that I got my realization. Imagine not going home for Christmas just because a certain project isn't done yet. I remembered St. Joseph who was a carpenter. His work may have not given him enough expenses to provide for the family, but still kept his word to take care of Mary and the Baby in her womb. The trip to Nazareth to Betlehem was not an ordinary trip. It was even said that their journey probably took about a week!
In the darkness of struggles, there is always that little light that we always tend to overlook - LOVE. I found myself seeing a parellism of my dad, his co-workers, and St. Joseph. They struggled in making ends meet, and in our case, struggled to get us back home. It goes to show that love isn't all happiness and fun; it requires huge amounts of struggle and sacrifice.
This year, I'd like to remind everyone that not everyone is experiencing a "Merry" Christmas, AND THAT'S PERFECTLY FINE. What matters is that we keep ourselves focused on all our loved ones have done for us. Thank the Lord for them. Appreciate them and make them feel appreciated, especially this Christmas.
And with that, I'd like wish you all a Meaningful and Blessed Christmas!๐โจ๐
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