Happy Holidays

I just love the holidays. I love spending time with my family. I love seeing others happy.

For me its a time when I can give to others intangible gifts. A hug here. A kind word there. Fixing someone's plate. An invitation to my place for dinner. While many of us are living a comfortable life, others live uncomfortable in their own skin. What happened if on Turkey Day we opened our hearts to forgive someone who maybe didn't know the protocol, but were guilty of disrespecting others?

Broken homes, lies, deceit, manipulation, and abuse all create conditions for children and people to learn "wrong" instead of learning "right". Thousands of people in this world - your neighbor, your manager, your co-worker, your in-laws - were bred in unloving environments. In turn, they may treat others in a rude, disrespectful and uncaring way. Sometimes it's because they don't know a better way.

Wisdom is a better way. It takes people who are honest, understanding, and loving to point out when a person is behaving badly to others. The disrespectful people have to be willing to make changes. With your love, understanding, and support people can change. Opening your home and heart this season is one way to start. You should not however put up with abuse from anyone. If hurt people are willing to stop hurting others, they deserve a chance to be a part of your Happy Holidays.