Over the past week social media has been flooded with tributes to Stephen “tWitch” Boss after his sudden death. When someone so young passes away, the shocking loss may cause some to look at their own lives differently. When that sudden death is the result of a suicide, that same loss forces us to take a look at how our actions can effect the lives of others.

I’ve seen several posts in recent days sharing the Suicide Prevention Hotline number. I’ve seen others detailing other resources for individuals suffering with depression. After such a high profile loss everyone’s awareness is heightened. Everyone’s empathy becomes a little stronger.

However, in the days to come – ESPECIALLY during this busy time of the year, we’ll all get distracted. Most of us will get sucked into the busyness of this holiday season. We’ll be rushing from gathering to gathering. We’ll have gifts to buy and gifts to wrap. We’ll have meals to make and family to visit. We’ll have last minute trips to the store and final errands to run. I hate to say this, but…….the next two weeks are going to fly by, and 2023 is going to be here in no time.

Some may read that list of things and think, “Good Lord. Just reading all of those things exhausts me.” I guess that is one way to look at it. I’d like to look at it a different way.

A couple of weeks ago in church, Father George asked the following question of the congregation during his homily:

“What can you do TODAY to contribute to someone else’s joy?”

Simple question, right? Smile. Offer a compliment. Hold a door open. Pay for the person’s coffee in line behind you. The list goes on and on. There are SO MANY different ways that we can spread joy to others. How about a not-so-simple question…..

“Over the next two weeks, how often are we actually going to take the time to do one of those things?”

The next couple of weeks are going to bring with them their own set of challenges, but do you know what else they are going to bring with them? So many different opportunities to show kindness to so many people. I truly believe that every act of kindness – whether big or small – has a ripple effect. We may never fully realize how a simple act of kindness on our part can effect the life of someone else. Maybe a compliment can pull someone out of a self-deprecating thought. Maybe a phone call to a friend we haven’t spoken to in a while will bring them a moment of joy in an otherwise dark day. Maybe a random act of kindness can inspire a stranger to do the same for someone else.

What may seem like an insignificant action to us may do more good than we could ever realize. Over the next couple of weeks, let’s try and keep Father George’s question at the forefront of our minds. A small contribution of joy may end up saving the life of someone else.

I’ve really been enjoying my daily videos from Dynamic Catholic as part of the “Best Christmas Ever” series. (You can sign up to receive the daily videos for free at DynamicCatholic.com) I was getting caught up on my videos this morning, and Matthew Kelly asked a question that made me look at the holiday season in a whole new way.

He asked “What is your favorite Christmas memory?” Just the question itself released a floodgate of Christmas memories over the years in my mind. It was hard to pick just one. As I was strolling down memory lane, he followed up the question with the following statement – “Your favorite Christmas memory more than likely does not have ANYTHING to do with all that your parents stressed over and worried about during the Christmas season.”

Wow.

I couldn’t believe how true that was. As I began to take a look at each of those memories a little closer, I was sure that none of them were anything that ever caused my parents any stress.

Making Christmas dinner with Nanny at her house on Christmas Day.

Spending Christmas Eve with our family after mass.

Practicing Christmas carols at school. (And yes – since I went to school in Parisville, we sang them in Polish.)

Playing outside in the snow during Christmas break and smelling the smoke from my grandparents wood stove.

Sure…..there were special gifts that I had received over the years, and I appreciate all that my parents did to make our holidays special. When it comes down to it, though – those aren’t the things that you carry with you as you go on though life.

As the video continued, Kelly listed out things that we obsess and stress over during the holiday season. They were all things that create anxiety in our lives and steal our joy during Christmas, but when thinking of all of those memories……it completely put things in perspective.

As I continue through this Christmas season, I am consciously making an effort to create more of those memories – and stress less about the small stuff. Not only will it make this Christmas season that much more special, I’ll have so many more special memories to look back on.