I love all the lights at this time of year. The Advent candles in Christian homes remind us of God’s light within us, God’s continued presence among us, and our hope for a future filled with God’s glory. The Hanukkah candles in Jewish homes remind us of God’s power working within us and God’s promise to always provide us with what we need.

The red, green, blue, yellow, and white lights on houses, trees, and bushes all remind us that this is a season of good will, peace, and happiness. There is an abundance of light around us at a time when the Northern Hemisphere of our planet is experiencing the least amount of daylight. This is no accident.

So why is it then, that by January 2nd, in spite of all the promises of happiness and good will that cards, TV specials, and store-wide sales send our way, we’re frequently left with a feeling of “what happened?’ or “what went wrong?’ or “maybe next year will be different”. The lights seem to go out so soon. The happiness wasn’t found in the wrappings, and it’s hard to have good will toward all when we are not feeling very happy.

I’d like to offer a challenge to each of us in the Hope Hall Community (which includes myself and all of you who are reading this newsletter, as well as our students) to re-evaluate Happiness during this month of December. The idea sprang from a quote I read last week that says: “If you want to be happy, do not listen to anything negative, do not say anything negative, and do not do anything negative.”

That certainly is a clear reminder that Happiness is an inside matter, not something that we get from people or things outside of ourselves. How very simple and very powerful this recipe for happiness is! All of us have choices, and the choices we make influence every outcome we experience. The difficult part of this recipe is the fact that we have to make different choices. Therein lies the challenge.

What if each of us decided that for the month of December we would not listen to anything negative?

Walk out of the room or change the topic when a co-worker or friend is spewing negativity in the form of griping or complaining or fault-finding.

Listen to different kinds of music (a difficult choice for our students to make!) and don’t allow other people’s cynicism to fill us.

What if each of us decided that for the month of December we would not say anything negative?

Don’t gossip or spread “juicy bits” of information we have about someone else.
Make a deliberate choice not to complain, criticize, or find fault with someone else.

Before you say anything, ask yourself- is what I’m about to say the truth, is it necessary to say it, will it help build or bridge a relationship, is it kind? If you answer “no” to any one of these 4 questions, don’t say it!

This is tough. Sometimes we have an honest gripe or pet peeve and our buttons get pushed and we just have to say it – it’s the truth. But is it necessary to say it to the person we’re with, or should we be saying it to someone else where it will be helpful, do some good, or effect a real change. And what tone of voice am I using? Is my teasing really funny or is it really unkind? Is there ever any kindness in sarcasm? Does swearing or cursing ever really make a problem better?

What if each of us decided that for the month of December we would not do anything negative?

Give up the notion that “two wrongs make a right” and forget about “getting even or pay-back time”.

Save some extra change to put into the Salvation Army bucket when you pass one outside of a store.

Lend a hand to help someone.

Be a little more patient or friendly when waiting in line.

If each of us took even some of these action steps and followed the recipe for happiness, the lights within us would not go out after the holidays. Each of us would carry the flames or the red, blue, green, and white lights within us. That light would fill us with an inner, unshakable happiness that no one could ever take from us because it wouldn’t be theirs to take. We wouldn’t keep being disappointed because that “thing” we thought would make us happy didn’t.

George Harrison, may he rest in peace, left us with some timely words in one of his songs,

“Here comes the sun…it’s been a long, cold, lonely winter.”

Won’t it be great to see the Light erupting from each of us throughout December, and long after – penetrating the long, cold winter and replacing all the “lonely’ with not only happiness, but good will toward all?

May the Light and Presence of God hold each of you!

—Sr. Diana