One of the great things about love ...
is that it grows in ever larger ripples when shared.
One shares with another, then that heart touched by love shares, too.
One becomes two. Two becomes four. And four becomes eight.
Not every heart which receives, gives, of course.
Who of us has not received compassion and felt the better for it?
We are let into a busy traffic line, and we wave thanks.
But do we give it? Do we let another in somewhere else down the line?
Or do we just go on our way, too much in a hurry to return the favor to a stranger?
Have we received compassion, wisdom, kindness repeatedly from a friend, but then have been hurt by that same friend?
Can we find it in ourselves, that after taken so much, to give one thing ...
the benefit of the doubt,
to trust in the past acts of friendship to give ...
forgiveness?
That is the secret of Boxing Day,
celebrated in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Bermuda, and the United Kingdom ...
to give from the surplus that we have received on Christmas Day.
One of the clues to Boxing Day's origins can be found in the Christmas Carol, "Good King Wenceslas."
Wenceslas, who was Duke of Bohemia in the early 10th century, was surveying his land on St. Stephen's Day — Dec. 26 —
when he saw a poor man gathering wood in the middle of a snowstorm. Moved, the King gathered up surplus food and wine
and carried them through the blizzard to the peasant's door.Christmas love and magic is better when shared.
Just like laughter is somehow more than doubled when the joke or funny movie is shared with a friend.
What is more beautiful than a unicorn in the snow?
Two unicorns racing through the flurry of snowflakes together.
***
Fantastic Four By A.I.
1 hour ago
Happy Boxing Day, dear Roland. You embody its sentiment all year long.
ReplyDeleteHugs and all good things for a bright, warm-loving New Year.
Thanks, Robyn. Your words mean a lot after a loooong day of blood runs. Whew! May this New Year be one of your best ever. :-)
DeleteHi Roland - I hope all is well .. Boxing Day has long gone ... forgiveness and love - the things we need for our futures.
ReplyDeleteCompassion for all - floods, tornadoes, snow and ice, and displacement ... and war - life is not easy ... with thoughts for your safety and health as we move towards 2016. Cheers Hilary
Boxing Day is no more? I did not know that. :-(
DeleteBut Compassion can never die not so long as we work to keep its fires burning inside our own hearts.
May your 2016 be so good you think it all a dream. :-)
Like Hilary said, Boxing Day is long gone, but will wish you a belated Happy Boxing Day. How nice for you to mention it for those who don't know about it. We were at one of our daughters yesterday, and afterwards I was making soup so didn't check out blogs. . . Hope all is going well, and that you aren't overworking. . .
ReplyDelete