I have learned in life that people enjoy getting their panties in a bunch, especially over stupid things. I have, also, come to understand that when someone says something like, ‘bless you’, they aren’t trying to convert you. Rather, they are expressing a meaningful gesture towards you. It doesn’t matter what you believe; to them, it is the most heartfelt expression of love and gratitude they can articulate. Instead of jumping up to start a debate or getting offended, accept it for what it is offered to be – a gesture of goodwill and friendship. That goes for the holiday season.

I have always taught my kids that whenever you have more than one person in a room, that’s how many opinions and ideas you have. No two people will EVER think exactly alike. That’s because we have different life experiences and even when we do share the same events, we have different perceptions of them based on our values, belief system, culture, and even the way our body has received the information from the world around us. And, that is okay. That is what makes each of us special. Furthermore, it is that diversity that drives us forward into new growth, keeping us from becoming stagnant and dying.

As we enjoy the holiday season, ENJOY IT. Don’t let 2020 suck the cheer from around you. Whether it is Happy Hanukkah, Merry Christmas, Happy Kwanzaa, Blessed Yule (Winter Solstice), or Happy Diwali… Be grateful and bask in the glory of the love being shared. You don’t have to have the same ideology to know love and acceptance. You don’t need to have the same belief system to be courteous and kind. You just have to be willing to receive the blessings being offered to you and be generous enough to offer them back in return.