by BB Curtis

There’s a lovely Christmas song that extols the virtues of making every day “just like Christmas, what a wonderful world this would be.”  Some of us think immediately of the expense involved, not only the money but also the time and planning.  Others of us have nightmares about the cooking and baking, the traffic, the long lines in the stores, the agony of the decisions.  Some of us have problems spending holidays with certain of our family members and develop a hard-core twitch at just the thought of having to spend every Christmas Day with Aunt Sybil who has diarrhea at both ends, and the smell of her breath gives testament to the fact.  We all, of course, understand the true sentiment:  keeping the spirit of giving alive all year, being loving and accepting of others and our differences, and appreciating our relationships with others.  How do we keep this alive every day?

We’re all born with special gifts and abilities.  Is it possible that sharing our talents with those around us is a gift that no one else can give?  Do we appreciate those special talents in our families, our loved ones, our co-workers, our associates, and our friends; or do we roll our eyes in mild to moderate disgust each time our spouse opens his/her mouth?

We each accumulate knowledge differently, not only at different speeds and from different styles and sources, and two people hearing the same sentence can interpret it in two different ways.  Those same two people can hear that same sentence under a different set of circumstances and interpret it in two more ways.  In our hurried and hassled lives, do we find time to communicate with those around us?  Do we share information, thoughts, and feelings?  Do we discuss what we’ve learned?  Do we toss around ideas and their repercussions looking for the best possible outcomes before we make decisions?  Do we share ourselves with others?

About 30 years ago, I was having a conversation with a dear friend about my spiritual journey; and how I felt that I was at a dead end.  I had questions that my church hadn’t answered.  I knew that if I took my mixed family to the church I’d gone to several years back, we’d be ostracized.  I knew that judging people by the color of their skin was wrong and against Christ’s teachings, but a congregation is made up of imperfect humans.  With all the sensitivity that I expected from someone who knew me well, my friend agreed with me and told me I should read books by Ruth Montgomery.  She had had some of the same types of feelings at one point and was led by a friend to some answers through Montgomery’s books.  Thanks to her open, honest, and loving exchanges with me, I found some answers and was then able to continue my search on my own.  She shared her gift of knowledge.  It took a few seconds, and it changed my life and opened a new world of possibilities.  I am eternally grateful to Rainy for her thoughtfulness, time, and input. 

Think back to the last time you had a day from hell.  Everything went wrong.  It started when you woke up late.  Your pants zipper broke so you had to iron another pair.  Your hair insisted on doing a weird Donald Trump thing.  You poked yourself in the eye with your mascara brush. Traffic was gross. You got to the office late, and your boss was standing at your desk looking at her watch because you were expected at a meeting an hour ago, and you forgot that you were supposed to be in early.  You spilled coffee on the reports you needed to hand out at the meeting with the representatives from overseas who’d been waiting for you, and it just got worse from there.  On your way to your car that night, after putting in a 13-hour day because all the things you touched turned into garbage, you see a friend from another department.  You haven’t seen her in several months though you’ve kept promising yourself that you’d call her to go to lunch.  From 15 car lengths away, she gave you a big, toothy grin and waved.  You smiled and waved back, and it’s as if those smiles broke your streak of bad luck.  You drove home with the smile lingering on your lips, singing along with the radio.  A kind, friendly smile can make a difference or work a miracle. 

A couple of decades ago, I worked in a high-profile position, meeting and greeting the public throughout most of my workday.  On my way to work one beautiful Spring morning, I stopped to get gas at the convenience store that was next to my office.  When I went to pay the attendant inside, I stepped up on the curb and looked up directly into the face of a woman in her 30s who looked like she’d been ridden hard and put away wet every day of her life.  I nearly ran her tiny frame over.  I have a customer service habit of smiling when I look someone in the face so that automatic smile kicked in, we said, “Excuse me.” to each other and went about our business.  About six months later, the company I worked for was hiring.  I interviewed the recruits and hired a cute, little blonde.  The following Christmas we exchanged gifts and cards within our office.  Written on her envelope to me was the request that I read her card after I got home, which I did.  There was a three-page letter enclosed.  It told the story of an abused wife who had no self-confidence and was afraid of everything and everyone.  She enlightened me concerning an incident at a convenience store, a lady who’d smiled at her and been really sweet, making her feel valuable.  Over the course of the ensuing months, she found the strength to dump the abusive husband, get her young children away from him, and start their lives over.  She told me how grateful she was that not only was she happier and starting to feel good about herself; but she had the chance to thank the person who, with just a smile and kind word, had made her feel worthwhile one day when she needed to so desperately.  She said that she’d recognized me immediately on the day that she’d interviewed and that she’d spent the next couple of days agonizing over whether she’d get a chance to work with the person who’d already changed her life for the better.  A smile from a stranger made her realize that she was not worthless, and she started changing her life and the lives of her children.  All I’d done was feel stupid for a moment for not looking where I was going, almost knocking her over, but was simply civilized.  A smile and some kindness costs nothing but can mean everything.

What’s the gift that keeps on giving every day of the year?  Why, it could be YOU!

“Oh, why can’t every day be like Christmas?

Why can’t that feeling go on endlessly?

For if every day could be just like Christmas,

What a wonderful world this would be?”

Chorus from If Every Day Was Like Christmas

by Red West

© Bobbi Bartsch Curtis, 2022, All Rights Reserved.