Digging for Gold During Christmas

Lost Your Christmas Spirit?

Sometimes it is just plain out hard to keep the excitement going and the Spirit alive during the holiday season!  Despite colorful lights sparkling on beautifully decorated trees, Baby Jesus lying in a manger at each church, Santa Claus being seen on every corner, front doors displaying holiday wreaths, the smell of freshly baked Christmas cookies wafting through the air, with the endless rotation of holiday songs playing on the overhead music—it is easy to lose our excitement and zeal whenever we are besieged with all the commercialism and hype that capitalizes and overpowers the true meaning of Christmas.  Oh, what pressure—spending money, gift exchanges, charitable causes, family gatherings, finding the perfect present, decorating, shopping, baking, cooking, eating (while trying not to gain weight), and the list is endless.  So, how do you survive the holidays without wanting to chainsaw your artificial Christmas tree in half while the colorful twinkling lights are still blinking?  My simple, but strange answer, is that you should try digging for gold during Christmas, but not in the way you might think. 

The Color Gold

You do not have to look too far to find the color gold, because you will see it everywhere during this season.  You will find it shining brightly in holiday decorations—gold garland, gold beads, and gold stars on top of Christmas trees heavily laden with golden ornaments…but why is that the case?  Gold is the color of the sun and light – both very important in the dark winter. It also symbolizes the Star of Bethlehem, and the Wise Men’s gifts.  Portraying grandeur and wealth, gold determines worth and guarantees value, and is highly sought after, as it is a noble metal and does not oxidize. “Good as Gold,” “A Heart of Gold,” “The Acid Test,” “A Pot of Gold,” “Go for the Gold,” “The Gold Standard,” “The Golden Handshake,” and “The Golden Years,” are but a few expressions describing the value and perception of this precious metal, which is mined from earth and rock. 

Heart of Gold

In the paraphrased words of Carnegie; “When gold is mined, several tons of dirt must be moved to get an ounce of gold; but one doesn’t go into the mine looking for dirt—one goes into the mine looking for gold.”  So, how does one “dig for gold during Christmas?” By turning your focus from yourself and the trappings of the season, to your family, your loved ones, your friends and co-workers.  By not looking for flaws, warts and blemishes.  By looking and digging for their gold—not their dirt.   The more good qualities you look for in others, the more good qualities you are going to find.  You will be amazed that in “Going for the Gold,” you will find your attitude changed by your new “Heart of Gold.”  So, take back the zeal of Christmas this year by “Digging for Gold in Others!”

Katrina Cheema