Cherishing peace for the holidays — and every day

Holiday decorations in downtown Woodstock, Vt. (Gareth Henderson Photo)

“Christmas is not a time or a season, but a state of mind. To cherish peace and goodwill, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas.” — President Calvin Coolidge

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Peace, goodwill, mercy — these are all qualities which come to mind constantly at Christmas time. Treating others with love and having that guide our thoughts and actions, is the very essence of the holiday season. Indeed, it’s at the heart of our hope for the world.

Still, these attributes have profound importance well beyond the holidays, and cultivating them is an action that shows we want them to grow. We need that progress in our lives, especially when challenges loom large.

Amid difficult times, these loving qualities can seem to be well outside of our focus, and, understandably, a number of lingering troubles can weigh us down. And these days, the spirit of Christmas can feel remote while confronting the things we miss most. Chief on the list are those relatives we can’t visit due to the pandemic, that gift we can’t find, that bill we can’t pay, or the supply chain and labor shortage issues impacting places we love and society at large.

In spite of what’s happening in the world, this holiday season gives us a wonderful reminder of how we can use goodness and love to push back against fear. By expressing goodwill, mercy and compassion, we are contributing to peace in the world. That’s the true Christmas spirit, which makes a difference in each and every heart it touches.

Just like a shimmer of light cuts through the thickest darkness, even the simplest expression of good lights the path to progress — a progress that lasts. Peace, goodwill, and mercy are measured by the good they bring, not in material accumulations. The sense of goodness and love we feel and cultivate within us — and for others — is the real prize. And that’s the Christmas state of mind that goes with us and is ever available to us. It’s the greatest gift, one we can renew and freely share every day and throughout every season.

— Gareth Henderson