Do you believe in miracles? Do you believe your wishes can come true?

About a month ago, as I was leading a group meditation for high-school students. While waiting for some to settle down in their seats, I asked a question just to fill the time, “Are you looking forward to the holidays?” Blank stares were the only answers I got, so I probed further. Out of nine students attending the meditation class, only one person raised her hand. And she was the only one that was looking forward to the holidays.  The rest weren’t.  I was quite shocked.  About two weeks later, I did a similar class for adults. This time, all attendees declared that the end-of-the-year holidays were one of the most stressful seasons of the year.

What have we done to this season that stress is heightened? How can you have hopes and dreams when you feel hopeless? How can you see things happen when you don’t know what you really want?  I remember saying to myself, I wish we all could start a tradition of sharing hopeful and inspiring stories, especially during this holiday season when gatherings are frequent.

Tonight, I was gifted with a story worth-sharing while I was watching the evening news on TV.  This is a story of little Sophie, one of four children from upstate New York. They went to the mall to meet Santa, and when Santa asked Sophie what she wanted for Christmas, she said, “I want the doctor to give my mom a new heart.”  Sophie’s mom was recently diagnosed with a rare heart condition.  She was air-lifted to a bigger hospital, and there she found out that she needed a life-saving heart transplant. Unfortunately, her doctor told the family that she would have to wait. Some of the family members were losing hope, but not Little Sophie. She even told her grandmother not to worry, “We all get what we want for Christmas. Santa will bring Mommy her new heart,” she said. Long behold, after that wish was declared, the doctor came to her mom’s room and mentioned that by the grace of God a new heart was available. Long story short, the transplant was successful, and Sophie’s mom is now home for Christmas.

Kids, in general, have so much conviction when they believe in something.  Kids’ hearts and souls are so open and willing to accept gifts. They are hopeful, they are believers in the goodness of life.  We can, too, as an adult. The Universe is a generous energy that is willing to align all possibilities to help us manifest our dreams, but only when we make up our mind and believe in them.  Step back and recall a time in your childhood when you felt the most excited about something, really believed you could manifest it, or it might come about in a different way yet as fulfilling.  Dig deeper and relive those stories.

I was four years old when I received a stuffed chipmunk from Santa under the tree. I just loved its cute face, cuddly body, big tummy and smile. I took this chipmunk everywhere I went. The next year, I asked my dad to help me write a letter to Santa, asking him to send me another chipmunk. I couldn’t sleep for a few nights prior to Christmas, anxious for the arrival of a new chipmunk. When Christmas morning came around, I received a stuffed dog instead, with a letter from Santa inserted in its paw.  The letter mentioned that Santa had had a big challenge finding a chipmunk that year. Because of his commitment to gather and deliver many gifts to many people around the world, he regretfully couldn’t find extra time to look for a chipmunk for me. He decided instead to send me a stuffed dog and promised he would keep his eyes open for a chipmunk the following year.  I didn’t get another stuffed chipmunk, but I was as excited to receive a stuffed dog.  My dad found the first stuffed chipmunk when he was traveling overseas, he couldn’t go back the following year just for that.  We always laughed reliving that story when I was older, how my dad had to figure out a reasonable response to my letter.

Reliving or sharing funny, memorable, inspiring, heart-warming (childhood or otherwise) stories can be a tradition worth-sharing and exchanging during this season. My husband’s family (he’s one of nine children) can recall many stories of their childhood when the family gathers. Regardless what the story is, we can always laugh out loud remembering childhood silliness.  This is the season, exchange gifts from the heart, share stories that inspire and give hope to others. Such gifts will last forever, long after the gathering is long over.

#christmasstory #inspiringstoriesforlife #whatkidbelieves #livingyourinspiredlife #ingemaskun