What Really Matters

The Essence of Autumn slide show causes me to reflect on Christmas and the value of our families to us all. Although Christmas is supremely a time to celebrate the most singular event in the history of the cosmos, the birth of Jesus the Christ, the Redeemer of Humanity, too often it becomes a time where the focus is on what you can get and not what you can give. But what do we really need? Do we need that Xbox 360, the Playstation 3 with its latest tutorial on how to live a life of crime (Grand Theft Auto, etc.)? Do we need more stuff for which we have no room and no need?

This brings me to the Essence of Autumn, where we see an exposition of the truly important things in life. We need to enjoy our families, here, now, today, because even if we all live to be 100, today will never come again. That three year old in the leaves, that seven year trying to help bag the leaves, and that thirteen year old hoping to finish soon, will never be at this stage of life again. Enjoy it while it lasts. It is the family leaf pile that you and they will remember long after that game system has faded from memory. That Wooly Bear crawling on their hand is worth more than all the presents we can buy. So get them things for Christmas, there is nothing wrong with that, but if that is our focus then we have missed the point. We need to give of ourselves and learn to accept that gracious gift from others. That's what really matters. James