I once asked our staff to bring in photos of themselves when they were around 10-years-old. We all looked so good then didn’t we, with teeth that looked too big for our still youthful faces. It was a fun meeting. I really looked forward to it because it was a chance to see one another in a different light. We were/are all vulnerable to the criticism of others, to the desires of pleasing our parents, to the challenges of focusing our energy in an increasingly rigid world, and to the pressures of our peers in the complex social communities that surround us. Somehow looking back at our 10-year-old selves is a little nostalgic because the consequence of not succeeding in all of these areas just doesn’t seem so imperative now. Seeing our co-workers in a different way can help us empathize with the similar desires we all have.

My husband gave me a photo of himself from a Christmas many years ago. He said it was his “Best Christmas Ever!” as he had received two of his most desired things – a set of “Fanner Fifty Cap guns” and a football helmet. He recalls going to bed, still wearing all of his new accessories and awakening to find the items laid neatly by his bed. It invokes a tenderness for his heart when I relate to his childhood memory and the precious smile on his young face.

It is that time of year when we can get caught up in the adult stresses of holiday expectations. It is important to recall the simpler times in our lives. If you are like me, the best memories didn’t come from expensive gifts but of simple things like walks in the snow with the family, of drives in the car to see Christmas lights, of quiet time spent with one another and church candle-light services. I feel it is important to turn off the negative news and recognize the simple things we can do to make this season a less stress filled-time for the child within us and within each person in our lives.