Ask Crone OTD: by Judith Pauly

Dear Crone Judith:

I am constantly inundated with the message " tis the Season to be jolly" and wonder why I feel like crap. Do you have any suggestions how to get through this stressful time? Really hoping for some peace.

Stressed Out

Dear Stressed Out,

Thanks for your question. Yes indeedy I believe it touches the core of many of us.

Soooo . . . If only we could believe the commercials and buy the right kind of cranberries, all the hurt and pain from our past relationships and dysfuntional families would be healed. Or if you buy a diamond for someone else, they will love you forever. If we get the right kind of toy for the children they will be happy forever and feel loved and cared for and adore their parents and maybe even skip the teenage years. Or the new perfume will keep the vampires away.

That is such a crock of crap. Even worse is the message that if we spend all our money on stuff we don't need we will buy a moment of happiness for ourselves and others and perhaps make up for the neglect or mistakes of the past year. It will make us good people.

STOP . . .BREATHE . . .CONNECT WITH YOUR SOUL.

WHAT WOULD YOU WANT TO BE REMEMBERED FOR?

Is it the materialist gifts you gave or the time spent with others and loving thoughts.

This is an opportunity to do something different and make a difference in your life.

SOULUTION
Instead of material gifts, give gifts of service. The intention of these holidays, and I mean all of the different ones including Christmas, Channukah and Quanza is to connect with your own personal spiritual beliefs and celebrate the meaning of giving and love.

A couple of suggestions:

Give gift certificates for services. i.e baby sitting, shopping for someone else, a night at the movies, a pedicure, a home made dinner delivered to their home. Something you hand-made.

Or cut the extravagance of the food in half and give to the open pantry.

Or maybe a phone call or card connecting with someone you have not been in touch with for a while, just to say hello and wish them well.

Give something of yours. A book, jewelry, photos, something from the heart that represents you.

A kind word to the sales clerk is a way to make the world a better place as is a kind word to those human beings who are in the travel business. It is not their fault it is snowing or there is something wrong with the windshield wipers on the plane. A simple thank you to the bell ringers for the Salvation Army rather than looking away.

BOTTOM LINE . . .MAKE IT SIMPLE AND COME FROM THE HEART.

Maybe instead of "tis the season to be Jolly" it could be "tis the season to be grateful"

Blessings, Crone Judith, OTD

Judith Pauly, "Older Than Dirt" www.PaulySoulStuff.com Email: JKPSOUL@PaulySoulStuff.com 312.952.7896 Ask OTD is a regular monthly Heartbeat column. Send in your questions or comments to OTD at JKPSOUL@PaulySoulStuff.com

Judith Pauly (Crone OTD)