TIS THE SEASON: MERRY CHRISTMAS ONE AND ALL!

Today is a day of giving yet so many forget that giving does not have to be material and a true giver expects nothing in return. Today is the one day a year most find time to be the person we all wish we were.

We find time to be courteous. We make time for family and friends we normally get too wrapped up in our day to day lives to do. We take that extra second to smile at strangers and wish them a Merry Christmas making their start to the day just a little more pleasant. We give gifts to our loved ones to let them know how much we appreciate them.

The true spirit of giving requires no feeling of disappointment if you get no present in return. True givers presents comes not from receiving a reciprocal gift but from seeing and experiencing the joy in others because of yours. That is the gift that lasts.

So many of us today get caught up in the commercialism of what Christmas has become that we forget that Christmas is a time of celebration. The celebration of the birth of Christ. Whether Christian or atheist, or anything in between it is the spirit of Christmas that endures.

While many are non believers even they get involved in Christmas. Buying gifts for the kids, spending time with the loved ones, or generally being just a little nicer and kinder today to strangers. The spirit of Christmas makes this possible.

I long for the day when we can all rejoice and live in the spirit of Christmas year round.

I long for the day when we quit being so commercial and think that gifts are what make the season and remember that people make the season. I believe the birth of Christ was the greatest gift ever given to us. And it did not cost me a dime and the "Joneses" next door had nothing to do with that.

We do not have to make sure that we compete with each other for material things. At the end of the day you can't take it with you when you go.

So today in the spirit of Christmas I ask you all to remember how different you are on this day. I ask you to think about how much better you treat people, the way you affect others, and strive to make a change to work towards that goal. Commit to being a better person each and every day to your friends, neighbors, and strangers. It does not require a gift of money nor does it require a store bought one.

It requires a commitment to the true spirit of giving. The giving of one's self to make this world a better place by being helpful, courteous, and grateful for this life we have been given.

Reach out to those in need and lend a helping hand. That is the gift that keeps giving. Do it because it's the right thing to do not because you will gain from it like some do. You will not gain a monetary gift or a store bought one but a gift that is so much greater than that.

The gift of love.

My Christian belief tells me this is so. I believe in leading by example. God set the example for others to follow. He gave us the gift of His only son so that our sins may be forgiven. A gift of love and one given to us that did not cost a dime.

Whether a believer or not is it so bad to follow the example of the gift of love?

I think not.

So in the spirit of Christmas I say to you all, be a giver of yourself first so that others may follow that example and lead us to what we all want.

Happiness, peace, and prosperity.

The greatest gift any of us have been given is the gift of life. In the trying times of today we forget this most basic gift. We worry more about what others have or argue over the haves and have nots. We spend more time over making sure we don't do without the latest material thing and forget to help those less fortunate than we who cannot help themselves.

In the end which is the greatest gift?

I appreciate each and every one of you who make this site a part of your day. i thank each and every one of you who allow myself and Ed Martin to be a part of your lives through the MyViewMatters Radio Show.

I am thankful to my wife, my kids, family and friends, and so many countless others in my life who are there to help pick me back up when I fall down and have shown me that gift of love over and over through their actions not empty words or material gifts.

Most of all I am thankful for this one day a year called Christmas. It serves as a reminder to myself and so many of us just how small we really are in this whole crazy thing called life. It also serves as a reminder of what and who we can be.

To each and every one of you I wish you a Merry Christmas! May God Bless you all.