Festive season : Thrills or spills ? Cheers

Hello beautiful Souls. My message today is about compassion and kindness.

As we move into the holidays and this

festive season, it is important to remember that this time of year does not look or feel the same for everyone. Our hearts are wide enough to hold many truths at once: that there is great joy to be found, there is great difficulty to be endured, and there are many who simply see these days as a quiet moment of rest.

**To those who are feeling the spirit of the season:** May your laughter be loud, your traditions be sweet, and your hearts be full. We celebrate with you. May your happiness be a light that you share generously with the world around you.

**To those who do not celebrate this festive season:** Whether this time holds no specific tradition for you, or you simply choose not to observe it, we honor your journey too. May you find joy in the simplicity of a beautiful day, the peace of a walk in nature, or the quiet warmth of a day spent with family and friends. May your "ordinary" days be filled with extraordinary connection.

**To those who are struggling:** We see you. If you are grieving a seat at the table that is now empty, if you are battling illness, if you are carrying the weight of financial stress, or if the "holiday cheer" feels more like a burden than a blessing—know that you do not have to perform happiness. It is okay to be quiet. It is okay to be tired. It is okay to simply breathe your way through the day.

**To the healers and the helpers:** To those working in hospitals, shelters, and emergency services, or simply those reaching out to a lonely neighbor—thank you for being the hands and feet of compassion when it is needed most.

The festive season is, at its heart, a reminder that kindness is the greatest gift we can offer one another. It is a call to recognize our shared humanity, regardless of what we believe or how we celebrate.

This year, let our gift to one another be a radical kind of grace. Let us be quick to listen and slow to judge. Let us offer a phone call to the friend who has gone quiet, a smile to the stranger who looks overwhelmed, and a gentle space for ourselves to feel whatever it is we are feeling.

Whether your candles are burning bright, you are enjoying a peaceful day of rest, or you are sitting in the soft shadows, may you find a moment of true peace. May we all be bound together by a spirit of tenderness, reminding each other that no one has to walk through the winter alone.

Wishing you gentleness, compassion, and peace.