No matter what you are celebrating this time of the year, ‘tis the season for people to be asking each other what they want for the holidays. I know exactly what I want for Christmas. It doesn't cost anything and you can't find it in the store. I know what you are thinking.  You’re thinking I’m gonna share something neatly wrapped up in altruism and mindful platitudes. But it’s quite the opposite really. When I said what I want doesn’t cost anything, that wasn’t exactly true.  

In fact, what I want for Christmas threatens to cost me a lot and, if I don’t pay attention, I will be paying deeply in emotional and spiritual pain well into the New Year. 

You see, when our wants are tied to things happening or people being a certain way, our happiness becomes dependent on the things we can’t control and, ironically we have given away the greatest gift we already possess in the process. It’s so easy to dwell on the vivid memories of what the holidays used to look like or to imagine what they could be - if.

So when we say all I want is for my family to be happy or for there to be peace on Earth although beautiful sentiments, those are big asks and nobody can give you that. 

Despite the fact we’ve all been conditioned to want this to be "the most wonderful time of the year", I urge you to consider the notion that the only true gift, and one that we have all been given, is the gift of the present. 

I’m not saying that this holiday season I won’t be missing family members who have passed on or moved far away but, I am resolved to let go of hopes and expectations and simply enjoy each new moment as it unfolds.