Around Christmas, many of us are preparing by decorating, getting the tree, buying presents for our family and friends, going to church amid a busy schedule, and baking cookies. We go out to coffee with our friends to get the limited time Christmas drinks. We drive around looking at lights with our friends. We go see a holiday concert at a local high school. We do so many things with the people we know and love.
From the inside, this is all such great things. Spending time together, enjoying each others' company, celebrating the Christmas season. You might even throw in a service event in there for people that are less fortunate: Feed My Starving Children, Toys for Tots, Operation Christmas Child, etc. From the inside, you're doing everything right.
From the outside though, it's a completely different world. You see people getting coffee together, yet you go alone. You see people going to church together, yet you are the only one going to church today. You see "white girls" baking cookies together and having a good time, but you're at home baking them all alone. Being on the outside is lonely.
You see lovers spend time together at the Holidazzle or visiting the big oak tree in Bloomington covered in lights. You witness couples making gifts for each other, then exchanging them. You see couples cuddle up with each other by the fire and watch Christmas movies. You see long distance couples get a chance to see each other for the first time in months, because that's their only Christmas wish.
From the outside, it is so easy to be alone during Christmas. I'm not cuddling up by the fire, watching a movie with my lover. I'm not celebrating two Christmas' because I'm dating someone. I'm either working, studying, or watching Netflix. :)
I'm not the only lonely one during this time though. There are many people who have to spend Christmas alone. There are elderly who have lost their husband or wife. There are children who have parents in prison. There are military families who won't see their dad this Christmas. There are homeless who don't even have a family.
What about them? Who do they have? What do they have to look forward to this Christmas?
Christmas is the celebration of Jesus' birth. God sent Jesus into the world through Mary. Knowing that Jesus came for a purpose, to save us from our sins, gives us hope. We aren't alone this Christmas. We have Jesus. And because of that, we should never have to feel alone.
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