The ‘day of days’ as some refer to it is only six days away now. That’s a half-dozen, meaning half of the 12 Days of Christmas we all come to embrace thanks to that immortal song we can’t get out of our heads this time of year, have come and gone.

Maybe you don’t have partridges in pear trees, golden rings, pipers piping, or drummers drumming, but there are still some things you can be grateful for, and share, at this holiday time to make your – and someone else’s – life better. I’ve come up with six – just enough for you to do one a day, every day, until Christmas is here.

First, give someone love. Someone’s out there that you haven’t dealt with in a while. Bring that goodness out from under that barrel. Tear down that wall of rejection and build a bridge of acceptance. Whether they’re near or far away, knowing that you love them is one of the best tonics of this season.

Secondly, give someone a smile. I don’t always feel like smiling. Sometimes I’m just plain moody, other times anxious, tired, and angry, you get the idea. But when you stretch those lips across your face you’re extending the best of yourself; you’re making a sort of beacon that guides the rest of the world toward you. You may have been caught off-guard sometimes by a stranger’s smile, but afterward you were left with a nice warm feeling, weren’t you? Try it.

Thirdly, give someone hope. Yes, I’ve dangled at the end of my rope a lot of times, too. How am I going to get all this done, from last minute shopping, getting cards out, paying bills, whatever! Then I realize there is a light at the end of the tunnel. As tough as I may think I have it, there’s someone else that I know is worse off than myself. Not that I revel in their misery or discomfort; but this helps me realize that problems can be solved, conflicts can reach resolution, and just by believing, I can leave the world better than I found it.

Fourth, give someone a hug. There’s no greater feeling than that snuggle of warmth and all the positivity it represents. Your squeeze may be the only one someone receives all week, maybe longer. Make it a true squeeze of appreciation.

Fifth, give someone forgiveness. You know deep down it’s not really worth anything to hold all that spite against whomever inside you. The best way to free it – and to free yourself – is to let it go. Make a new beginning. In a few more days you’re going to make resolutions. Why not put turning away from contempt and resentment at the top of that list.

Lastly, give away a special gift. At one time it meant the world to you; so why not use it to brighten someone else’s world. Think about how much it made life better for you when you received it. Now, you have a chance to give it a second life.

Try these six things the next six days. You just might find out who you really are; and I’ll bet, too that you’ll like the result.

 

Gene Motley is a Staff Writer at Roanoke-Chowan Publications. He can be contacted at gene.motley@r-cnews.com or 252-332-7211.