Believe. verb: believe; 3rd person present: believes; past tense: believed; past participle: believed; present participle: believing

Believe. definition: accept as true; feel sure of the truth of; hold as an opinion; think or suppose.

Ah the holidays…

The nature of the holiday season is to believe…to embrace our faith…to place trust in the unknown. The word believe comes from old German words that mean to have trust. When we believe, we do not require proof. We accept because it gives us confidence and patience with the unknown and grounds us in the present moment. To believe allows the magic and gifts of life to shine through in a brighter, bolder capacity…than when we choose to shut the door on having faith.

This time of year the lights, decorations and music showcase the magic ‘dust’ of belief. The twinkle and charm permeates feelings inside of us that remind us…however open or closed off we are…that we all have the gift of faith to believe. Children’s laughs remind us all of our inner child, however ‘lost’ it may be…to believe. The simple acts of kindness and giving instill and reinforce our belief. The celebrations, quiet reflections and preparing for the new year head, remind us to believe in the art of possibility.

I must admit…I have been challenged throughout my life with believing…believing in myself, believing in others, and believing in the world that surrounds us that we will find goodness and peace.

This year encompassed those ‘testing moments.’ More than anything…this year test my ability to believe in myself. I had to challenge myself and lean on my faith to find that space again. What happened is because I lost some of the magic of belief, my perception and perspectives created points of reality that did not allow for the magic ‘dust’ to shine through.

This week I was sitting with one of my dearest girlfriends and one of her sons. We were discussing the year and her son turned to her and mentioned the hardships and ‘what a year it had been’ (which was a truthful statement). Without pause she said ‘Instead of thinking about what we have encountered as hardships…what are the positive elements and gold that those experiences gave us?’

It made me pause. It made me shake my head (in a good way). It made me smile. And it reminded me…if we frame our belief, our faith, our trust, in a manner that showcases the sparkle…it is amazing what is able to occur. And when we do…what act that portrays back into our world.

While this time of year is always a challenge for me…the beauty of what I am surrounded by from the lights, the emotions all around, the gifts of gratitude being given…the beauty of the challenge this time of year is that it draws me back and reminds me to believe. It reminds me of my innate hope in my heart…of my faith that grounds me, even when I believe I have lost it.

It reminds me that to believe means to never give up. To believe means that you are enough. To believe means that one should always spread light to others even when you are struggling to find yours…because ultimately to believe makes wishes, dreams and smiles come true…

If I have a wish this holiday season…for myself…for my children…for my dearest people in my life…for my colleagues…for others I have never met…for our world in general…it is to take a moment this season – to to find and rediscover believing…Find your faith, trust and your belief in the magic that life gives us. Whatever that means will be different to each of us…where you need to find it will be different…how you find it will require you to think outside of the box or differently, perhaps…and how you look yourself in the mirror to smile when you find it will be unique to each. What I know to be true…by taking that moment…to believe…magic will be felt.

And it is that magic ‘dust’ that is the true gift this holiday season…the magic ‘dust’ of believing…

Go out and seek it…go find it…and hold on to it every time you cross paths with it and are graced by ‘its’ presence.

Here’s to believing…always…

Many nights we’ve prayed
With no proof anyone could hear
In our hearts a hopeful song
We barely understood
Now we are not afraid
Although we know
There’s much to fear
We were moving mountains long
Before we knew we could

In this time of fear
When prayer so often proved in vain

Seeking faith and speaking words

They don’t always happen when you ask
And it’s easy to give in to your fears
But when you’re blinded by your pain
Can’t see your way here through the rain
We’re small, but still, we’re singing far
Says help is very near

There can be miracles
When you believe
Though hope is frail it’s hard to kill
Who knows what miracles
You can achieve
When you believe
Somehow you will
You will when you believe