DAY 18 FREEDOM

I often say that I dislike Christmas—sometimes even that I hate it. I know this might sound strange coming from a Christian, but for me, Christmas time has become so stressful. It feels like a season full of obligations—eating, meeting, buying, seeing, doing—and often not because I want to, but because I feel I have to.
Today, I’ve been thinking about what we truly need, and I’ve realized that the greatest gift we can offer someone is freedom. Freedom to choose. Freedom to decide. Freedom to be. Freedom to make mistakes. Freedom to sit at the breakfast table on Christmas morning—or not. Freedom to exchange presents and freedom not to. Freedom to eat fish, cake, cabbage or whatever else there is on the table or not. Freedom to say yes. Freedom to say no.
Christmas is a beautiful time. I wish I’d never find myself saying that I dislike or hate it. And perhaps the way forward is to remember this: the greatest gift I can give, to others and to myself, is freedom. Freedom from expectations, freedom to simply be.