Jingle bells and all those delicious smells are what usher in December! Coming off a bountiful Thanksgiving, we are thrust into the rush of holiday parties and the constant onslaught of shopping deals flooding our inboxes. How can we best balance it all? What I love about the article “The Grace of Giving and Receiving” is that it reminds me of what the season truly is about—gratitude. Being thankful beyond the turkey dinner shows the gravitas of being a true giver and receiver. I, for one, enjoy giving with zero expectations of receiving anything in return. The best gift of all is seeing the joy in the face of my receiver; that's a gift enough for me. 

When we think of how to give back, choose to do something with your time—helping at a Senior Center, giving gifts to children whose families have fallen on hard times, or working at a food kitchen. Giving oneself to others is the most gratifying gift of all. 

And what about us? In the article “Treating Ourselves” the person we often forget about the most is us. No one knows what we genuinely need other than ourselves. During the rush of the season, take a moment to reflect on what you may have put on the back burner and what to let go of that you cannot control. Allow yourself the space and time to fulfill your choices and accept that spending lots of money to bring joy to you or others is not always needed this time of year. Your time with someone you've been too busy to see or time alone to catch up on reading that you've put aside may be what the soul needs. 

May this holiday season bring you peace, harmony and human connection with yourself and others. Let us all send love and light into the world—that's what we all need right now: a big old mind and body hug. 

Best wishes,

Cyrece & Michael