A Holiday Message Shared!

Good tidings of comfort and joy for the holiday season from New York City!

From my family to yours, warm wishes of a season's greeting.

It really makes no difference what holiday you are celebrating; I wish you and your loved one's peace and joy, with health, happiness and prosperity for the new year.

As Gandhi once so eloquently stated: “gentleness, generosity and self-sacrifice are not the exclusive possession of any race and religion “

How true…After all, it is universally understood by all religions, that we the people are living in the shelter of each other, under God. We are free to choose the God and religion that we believe. Freedom of thought also means freedom from thought. Both are the truest forms of freedom of choice.

Perhaps it shouldn’t take a holiday for us to show gratitude and kindness and to preach about joy and understanding. Or to smile, talk health, wear a cheerful expression and wish happiness and prosperity to every person we meet.

Sadly though, we live in a world that is drowning in information and misinformation while starving for wisdom.

So, I have compiled a wish list for all to take into the New Year.

I wish...

- That you live a life filled with genuine kindness, benevolence, passion, compassion and gratitude, in your mind and in your heart!

-That you will always be the light in some one's life, not the heat.

- That you will eternally feel the joy of being a giver, not a taker.

- That you will allow kindness to show and be seen as your greatest strength, and never hide that kindness in fear of it being seen as a weakness.

- That you start to believe that it doesn’t matter where someone came from, or how they got there, only what they do once they arrive, knowing that they may one day, be instrumental in your life.

- That you know that it’s really not about what you got, rather it’s all about what you give. Be generous!

- That YOU have the courage to become the change that YOU want to see in this world.

-That you Lead by example. Assure those around you that they can believe what you say, because they see what you do, ALWAYS

- That you find the courage to BE what you SEE for YOURSELF, even if others don’t see it in you. Worrying about what others think is like a self-imposed prison sentence. You are so much better than that, but only if YOU believe in you.

- That you’ll garner the courage to be disliked if necessary to live by your own standards of measure.

- That you will NEVER trade your authenticity for approval!

- You understand that genuine imperfection is ALWAYS more attractive than disingenuous perfection. Be real.

- That you will always possess a child's curiosity yet retain an awe-inspiring humbleness.

-That you will live with intellectual humility, understanding that what you don't know is more important than what you know. Everyone and every experience is a teacher. But only if you pay attention,

- That you will not fall into the trap of believing that what you do is more important than who you are and understand that to be interesting, you must first be interested.

- That you help erase all those man-made lines of division and hate. In your mind and in your heart

- That you give so much time to improving yourself, you have no time to find fault in

- That you will be too strong for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear

- That you will honor and respect the blessing of TIME and acknowledge that we can always make more money, but not more time

And most importantly is the value of TIME and ENOUGH....

While it is true that TIME is the most precious of all commodities, TIME is also an appreciating asset that gains in value as its abundance diminishes. It must be valued, cherished and never wasted! But, most of all I wish you ENOUGH

An Ode to ENOUGH (by James Vena)

May you always have ENOUGH of the things you need for yourself and more than ENOUGH of the things you'd like to share with others. In this way, your hands will always be extended in friendship and never in want.

And should you find yourself more fortunate than others, build a longer table, not a taller fence. While the grass isn't always greener on the other side, it will always be greener where it is watered.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!