The Christmas Letter
by Catherine Lenard
Whether you find yourself missing someone special, feeling separate or alone in a crowd, this message is for you.
After my brother, Mark, suddenly passed, I unexpectedly found the letter he'd written and given to me as a Christmas present years before.
While appreciated for its elegance at the time, I'd long forgotten his gift.
Discovering the letter again in the aftermath of coming to terms with his physical absence held greater meaning and poignancy than when initially read.
As my perspective dramatically changed during that painful process, I gained an increased ability to understand what he said, recognizing his words were coming from the timeless space beyond the challenges of day-to-day concerns.
No matter where you are, this simple message transcends cultural boundaries. While the reference point is the Christmas holiday, the thoughts expressed speak of the level of oneness we all share, regardless of beliefs. It follows exactly as it was written:
Whether you find yourself missing someone special, feeling separate or alone in a crowd, this message is for you.
After my brother, Mark, suddenly passed, I unexpectedly found the letter he'd written and given to me as a Christmas present years before.
While appreciated for its elegance at the time, I'd long forgotten his gift.
Discovering the letter again in the aftermath of coming to terms with his physical absence held greater meaning and poignancy than when initially read.
As my perspective dramatically changed during that painful process, I gained an increased ability to understand what he said, recognizing his words were coming from the timeless space beyond the challenges of day-to-day concerns.
No matter where you are, this simple message transcends cultural boundaries. While the reference point is the Christmas holiday, the thoughts expressed speak of the level of oneness we all share, regardless of beliefs. It follows exactly as it was written:
Dear Catherine,
There is a special moment during the holiday season when all of the activity, hype, and busyness — stop.
A moment when you are rooted to the ground and stare into space.
A moment when all circumstance and thought cease — and fall away.
A moment when something stirs at the depth of your being and a knowing smile, genuine, comes to your face.
A moment when all is right with the world and a sense of well-being expands within you and radiates outward.
At Christmas, if only for a moment, we are reminded of what is within whenever we choose to stop — and let ourselves be filled.
Let this moment be yours, always..
Love, Mark
My brother was a highly intelligent man with a dry wit. In the hours preceding his unexpected leaving, he quipped, "Have you seen any lights lately?" and made sure the friend who was with him knew she was loved.
Rediscovering his letter, I realize there are parallels to the sense of well-being he was speaking of with the final insights he shared.
"If only for a moment," may your differences fall away and your heart be filled with the Light and Love that silently and steadily unites us all.
Copyright ©2000 - 2023 Mark D. Lenard and Catherine Lenard. All rights reserved.
