Whatever your traditions for the Christmas season may be, they are probably on hold for this year. There will be no midnight Christmas Eve service for me. My sister and brother-in-law probably will not be able to come and my daughter will remain in Tennessee. I cannot say that I am filled with my usual Christmas spirit. I am grateful for my family and friends. My children have really been a constant help this year. I have so much for which to be thankful.

I think that we can best celebrate Christmas and the year ahead by being the best of ourselves we can be and by making life brighter for others. A woman in Virginia celebrated her 53rd. birthday by doing 53 acts of kindness. She has the right idea. What are those things we can do to make life a little better for someone else? These need not be expensive things. I can’t leave a $!,000 tip for a server, but I can leave a little more than usual. I can call someone who lives alone or has no nearby relatives. I can be more thoughtful toward those I meet as I go about my daily or weekly routines. I can listen more and talk less. We may have voted differently in the recent election, but we can be more respectful of one another.

If we all are a little more thoughtful and a little less abrasive, we can turn the tide on incivility. That will be something to celebrate.

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