The true spirit of Christmas
December 12, 2004 | 12:00am
Christmas is here. You can see its sign everywhere. Trees have been trimmed. Presents are being given out. Traffic is bad. The lines at the cashier are longer. You can hear Christmas songs playing on the radio every other minute, and the evening news closes with a countdown of the number days before Christmas.
I remember wrapping this year’s first Christmas present more than 90 days ago. Time flies. Now, there’s less than 30 days to go. I still have some more wrapping to do. No matter how early I start preparing each year, I always make a mental note to start even earlier the next year. But I really can’t complain. I just love the spirit of the season. It brings out the best in most people. People are kinder, nicer, more generous and more grateful.
On that note, aren’t we all glad that super typhoon Yoyong kinda lost its way en route to the Philippines? The possibility of a super typhoon bigger than our country (How scary is that?) really did freak me out. I prayed Psalm 91 every so often, and asked Him to gently remind me that even in the most terrible of storms, He will be there. That thought alone was enough to make a difference.
After praying, I set out to practice my rusty Girl Scout skills: Making sure the rechargeable lamps were fully charged, that all the flashlights had fresh batteries, and the pantry stocked with enough de lata, milk and cup noodles to feed a small barangay.
As the strong winds howled and the branches of the trees outside danced, my daughter Juliana gleefully clapped her hands, "Mommy, the trees are having a party. They’re dancing!" Uh-oh, wrong thing to say to your panicky mommy.
I prayed once more. I turned on the TV, and there was a live feature on the preparations being made by the National Disaster Coordinating Council. Scary, scary.
Was it really going to be that bad, I thought. Soon enough, text messages came pouring in, all of which implored divine intervention, and the assistance of Mama Mary and all the saints in heaven. I’m pretty sure everyone with a mobile phone stormed heaven with prayers.
They said that the time from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. the following day will be the worst Manila has ever seen. Again, how scary does that sound?
I woke up at 9 a.m. the next day. The weather was surprisingly more sober than I expected it to be. I slept again and woke up at 11:30 a.m. The super typhoon was not happening!
I thought, could it be just late?
And what do you know? Even better news was awaiting all those who were worried: Super typhoon Yoyong had weakened considerably, lost its way, and changed its mind.
I’m sure the weather bureau has scientific explanations for what happened. I really believe it was the power of prayer that averted what could have been a terrible natural disaster. So many of us passed around messages asking for divine assistance it is hard to pretend that help did not come our way. God is so good.
While super typhoon Yoyong thankfully did not happen, typhoon Winnie did, leaving in its wake a large number of homeless, hapless, and, yes, hopeless people. Watch the news and you will see so many glazed, painful looks that just do not match the festive season.
Look around your house. There is likely to be at least a boxful of things you have that someone else can put to better use: Clothes you have not worn in years, books and toys your child can do without, any little thing you can share. If you would rather give in kind, you can also go to Divisoria or a wholesaler you know to buy food, clothing and blankets. What you can share will surely go a long way in making someone smile this Christmas. Keep in mind that we are continually blessed, so that we, too, can be a blessing to those we meet along life’s way. Let’s all be grateful and share.
That said it is my prayer that we all fully embrace the spirit of the season not only by finding more and more reason to share what we have but also by discovering true joy in doing so. Here’s to giving deeply and smiling widely as we let the gifts go from our hands to theirs.
Incidentally, Ralph Lauren Fragrances and Make A Wish Foundation invite you to give a gift to yourself or your loved ones and help make wishes come true. They are offering this holiday season cute, plush bears made of cashmere and clad in Ralph Lauren cashmere sweaters. Really super cute! Each limited edition bear is available for P995 in two varieties: Mr. Bear (blue) and Ms. Bear (pink). Each sale made will benefit a wishkid. This promo is available at selected SM, Rustan’s and Robinsons Department Stores. For inquiries, call 632-0280 or e-mail lco@ph.loreal.com.
I remember wrapping this year’s first Christmas present more than 90 days ago. Time flies. Now, there’s less than 30 days to go. I still have some more wrapping to do. No matter how early I start preparing each year, I always make a mental note to start even earlier the next year. But I really can’t complain. I just love the spirit of the season. It brings out the best in most people. People are kinder, nicer, more generous and more grateful.
On that note, aren’t we all glad that super typhoon Yoyong kinda lost its way en route to the Philippines? The possibility of a super typhoon bigger than our country (How scary is that?) really did freak me out. I prayed Psalm 91 every so often, and asked Him to gently remind me that even in the most terrible of storms, He will be there. That thought alone was enough to make a difference.
After praying, I set out to practice my rusty Girl Scout skills: Making sure the rechargeable lamps were fully charged, that all the flashlights had fresh batteries, and the pantry stocked with enough de lata, milk and cup noodles to feed a small barangay.
As the strong winds howled and the branches of the trees outside danced, my daughter Juliana gleefully clapped her hands, "Mommy, the trees are having a party. They’re dancing!" Uh-oh, wrong thing to say to your panicky mommy.
I prayed once more. I turned on the TV, and there was a live feature on the preparations being made by the National Disaster Coordinating Council. Scary, scary.
Was it really going to be that bad, I thought. Soon enough, text messages came pouring in, all of which implored divine intervention, and the assistance of Mama Mary and all the saints in heaven. I’m pretty sure everyone with a mobile phone stormed heaven with prayers.
They said that the time from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. the following day will be the worst Manila has ever seen. Again, how scary does that sound?
I woke up at 9 a.m. the next day. The weather was surprisingly more sober than I expected it to be. I slept again and woke up at 11:30 a.m. The super typhoon was not happening!
I thought, could it be just late?
And what do you know? Even better news was awaiting all those who were worried: Super typhoon Yoyong had weakened considerably, lost its way, and changed its mind.
I’m sure the weather bureau has scientific explanations for what happened. I really believe it was the power of prayer that averted what could have been a terrible natural disaster. So many of us passed around messages asking for divine assistance it is hard to pretend that help did not come our way. God is so good.
While super typhoon Yoyong thankfully did not happen, typhoon Winnie did, leaving in its wake a large number of homeless, hapless, and, yes, hopeless people. Watch the news and you will see so many glazed, painful looks that just do not match the festive season.
Look around your house. There is likely to be at least a boxful of things you have that someone else can put to better use: Clothes you have not worn in years, books and toys your child can do without, any little thing you can share. If you would rather give in kind, you can also go to Divisoria or a wholesaler you know to buy food, clothing and blankets. What you can share will surely go a long way in making someone smile this Christmas. Keep in mind that we are continually blessed, so that we, too, can be a blessing to those we meet along life’s way. Let’s all be grateful and share.
That said it is my prayer that we all fully embrace the spirit of the season not only by finding more and more reason to share what we have but also by discovering true joy in doing so. Here’s to giving deeply and smiling widely as we let the gifts go from our hands to theirs.
Incidentally, Ralph Lauren Fragrances and Make A Wish Foundation invite you to give a gift to yourself or your loved ones and help make wishes come true. They are offering this holiday season cute, plush bears made of cashmere and clad in Ralph Lauren cashmere sweaters. Really super cute! Each limited edition bear is available for P995 in two varieties: Mr. Bear (blue) and Ms. Bear (pink). Each sale made will benefit a wishkid. This promo is available at selected SM, Rustan’s and Robinsons Department Stores. For inquiries, call 632-0280 or e-mail lco@ph.loreal.com.
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