Tis the season ho ho ho.
Yep—it’s the season of crazy-making, decision-making, cookie-making, of running myself ragged trying to get it all done, of waffling between the gift-giving debacle and the remembrance of the reason for the season. I struggle to find a healthy balance amongst all, but I seem to be losing the battle, most likely because my inner chaos is affecting my outer world. It’s really tough to resist the temptation to take to my bed and hide until it’s all over. Can you relate?
The first clue that chaos rules is that I lost a set of keys. For days I’ve searched. No keys. Then, insult was added to injury with the discovery that a second set has gone missing. It’s a good thing that I have a third set, or I’d be locked out of my life forever.
Clearly, all of this seasonal crazy-making has knocked me off kilter. I have been neglecting the thing that is most important in my life, the thing that keeps me sane, that stirs my heart, that feeds my soul. I have lost myself—my Self—in the holiday fray. It has taken its toll in the loss of both sanity and keys.
A basic tenet of A Course in Miracles is that forgiveness is the key to happiness. Perhaps my keys will miraculously reappear if I can forgive myself for all of my sins (aka my silly stupid mistakes), and refocus on what is truly important. But apparently, before that miracle occurs, there is something I must learn. Or relearn because I forgot.
Now such a notion may seem ridiculous, but trust me—I am quite experienced in the lost and found business. This is not the first time I have been baffled by the mystery of the missing, but I have discovered that as soon as I figure out what the lesson is, lost items simply show up out of nowhere. Sometimes, I think that they become cloaked in invisibility, or slip into another dimension temporarily just to be sure I don’t miss a rich lesson of some sort along the way.
So this morning as I was muttering under my breath about my dual key loss (well, maybe loudly complaining is more like it) it dawned on me. It’s time to stop focusing on what’s unimportant in the overall scheme of things, and start zeroing in on the only thing that truly matters.
Love, hope, peace, joy, faith, compassion, kindness, Truth, beauty, and the awareness that we are more than meets the eye. We are not our bodies, we are not our skills or talents, we are not our personalities, we are not who we think we are at all. We are so much more. We live in dimensions that we cannot see, perhaps where lost keys go to keep company with the part of us that sometimes seem to be missing—our soul.
Sometimes I get lost in the belief that I am something other than who I truly am, and I forget to remember what is important; then I lose my keys along with myself. If past experience serves, they will magically reappear once I get myself back on track and aimed in the right direction.
But what is it that I have really lost? As I gain the willingness to emerge from under the covers and look for the light, I discover that what is temporarily missing in my life is the joy of doing what makes me feel good about myself. It’s the happiness that comes from doing whatever I can to bring light and joy into the lives of others. Instead, I have allowed the hustle and bustle of the season, and the gloom and doom of our current world to blot out the light.
Henceforth and hereinafter, I declare a moratorium on doom, gloom, hustle, bustle, and all things unhealthy to the magnificent human spirit and the soul that dwells within. Henceforth and hereinafter I vow to do my best to spread light and joy to all—each and every one, in whatever form that may take. Today that form is a blog. We’ll see about tomorrow….
Finally, speaking of spreading a little light, I feel called to share something that I recently received that lifts my spirits and gives me hope as we negotiate these dire times. If you wish to check it out, here is a link: The Coming One.
I wish you all love, hope, peace, joy, faith, compassion, kindness, Truth, and beauty at this most blessed time of year—and every year hereafter.
With love , blessings and a PS: Maybe now that I have pushed the publish button, the keys will appear. Ya think? 🙏🙏🙏
Thank you SO much, Julia, for this absolutely amazing post. It’s so rich–where to begin?! I loved all of it, but this stood out: ” It’s time to stop focusing on what’s unimportant in the overall scheme of things, and start zeroing in on the only thing that truly matters.”
I’ll definitely be looking forward to your next post. Wishing you and your family a most wonderful holiday season, and I also hope that you find your keys. 🙏🧡
I appreciate your kind comments, Art. It really does feel good to finally post after such a long time. Out with doom and gloom, in with joy and bliss! Blessings to you and your family during this blessed season as well. And thank you for reading.
We are more than meets the eye. Thanks for the reminder. Have a light-filled, soul-filled blessed season!
So true, so true. I need frequent reminders! Blessings to you for a light and soul filled season as well.
Thank you dear Hazel! 💕
Those keys have GOT to turn up now Julia! Out with gloom and doom, in with Julia in bloom! 🤗 Wonderful post, getting our priorities straight. The true ‘key’. 💗
I LOVE the “out with gloom and doom, in with Julia in bloom”! Clever you! You make me laugh! Thanks for your comments and for reading!
Wonderful, Julia. All that you have written puts everything in balance. And I have read the material in http://www.thecomingone.org and would recommend it to all during this Christmas season and thereafter. Many thanks and blessings.
Mary
Thank you for reading Mary, and for your comments on The Coming One. I hope it added a bit of light to your life!
Bless you Julia! You never fail to bring a smile to our hearts and some Light on our journey. May the Peace and Joy of this Holy Season be with you. Love, Ann
Aww, thank you so much Ann. Thank you for your nice comment and thank you for reading! It’s lovely to hear from you and many blessings to you this holiday season.
GO FOR IT!
Will do! 😃
I love the wisdom and the metaphor of the search that you have lovingly walked us through in this post, Julia. Such great inspiration to us all to remember to find the things that matter most — starting with your wonderful list: “ope, peace, joy, faith, compassion, kindness, Truth, and beauty at this most blessed time of year.” Yes, yes, yes!! Thank you for the guiding light and love!!
You are all of those things any time of year, Wynne. Would that it were the case for all. But we’re getting there, one mind, one heart at a time. I’m keeping the faith! 🙏 Blessings to you, Miss O, Mr. D and the rest of your family for a glorious and joyful Christmas.
Loved this, dear Julia! I so relate to your experience.. .it’s maybe a shared experience?
For the moment, the key to happiness would be finding my keys! And yes, I think that perhaps experience is a shared experience! Thank you dear Judy! Bless you.
Thank you for your lovely post and for your capacity to turn a stressing situation into an occasion for re-establishment of priorities. Hope the keys came back home safely. Have a wonderful Christmas!
Thank you so much for your very kind words, and for joining me in the hope that keys will return home safely. I’m practicing my magnetizing skills and hope they improve! Blessings to you during this holiday season. May peace, joy, and bliss fill your day.
I love your perspectives Julia, thank you. So hoping the missing keys appear again.(Perhaps get a fourth set made, just in case the others extend their holiday, and invite the third set?)
Considering that absent-mindedness might be genetic, a fourth (and maybe a fifth) set of keys is an excellent idea. (My mother once found a roll of toilet paper in the fridge . . .). I have not given up hope. Thank you for reading, Andrew, and for your kind comment!
I hope your keys have reappeared 🤩
I’m happy to report that one set has reappeared. Still waiting for the other, but SO grateful to have found ONE! Thanks Judy!
Dearest Julia, You have done it again–capturing the essence of the lessons around Christmas, and finding Oneself–the REAL Self. Love it! Please keep writing.
Thank you for your kind comment dear Nancy. In addition to finding myself, I am also happy to report that I have also been reunited with one set of keys. One down, one to go! There’s hope. There’s always hope, right?!
“We live in dimensions that we cannot see, perhaps where lost keys go to keep company with the part of us that sometimes seem to be missing—our soul.” I love that SO much!
Thanks Michelle! Thanks for reading, and keep on blogging!