Don't Put Off Appreciating Those Around You

This time last year, I intended to visit an elderly man I knew from church. He had suffered from a stroke in November, so I wanted to visit him at the nursing home. Sometime between Christmas and New Year’s Eve, however, he passed away.

I was devastated that I had let all that time pass and done nothing. There had been plenty of opportunities, but I never put in the effort to go see him. I’m so sorry that I kept pushing it off; I neglected to prioritize the people in my life.

We all have things we’d like to tell specific people, but we rarely voice such thoughts. No matter how great or small the gesture, we should always take the time to appreciate those around us.

Christmas is the perfect time for many of us to express our feelings. Family and friends gather together, and it’s a wonderful occasion to give gifts of not only substance but also words and actions. We don’t generally speak our minds because our sentiments are more meaningful than a situation seems to warrant, or we feel that it would simply be too uncomfortable to expose the fact that we were really touched by something.

Those are the exact reasons why such things must be said, though. Caring for others has value, and that value should not be ignored for the sake of comfort.

I most likely won’t see some people that I would like to acknowledge in the coming weeks, and I would have learned nothing from last year if I don’t say something to them while I have the opportunity. Michelle Fulton (middle school religion teacaher at Good Shepherd school, who recommended me to The Message as a possible contributor) and Tim Lilley (editor of The Message): I am ever grateful to both of you for giving me this opportunity. The ability to reach so many people with my words still astounds me, and it is possibly one of the greatest gifts you could have given me.

Everyone who is reading this: thank you for taking the time to step into my mind. I so appreciate that you deliberately choose to share my thoughts.

Father Benny Alikandayil Chacko and Father Tyler Tenbarge: you are both so insightful, and I’m left in awe by the things you say and do. Your joy, Father Benny, is radiant, and I hope we’ll see each other again relatively soon. My heart warms just thinking of you. I wish you the best of luck and safety in your travels. Father Tyler, your homilies leave me dumbfounded. I’m so glad you came to (Reitz Memorial High School), and it’s incredible to see the number of lives you touch. Thank you for sharing your personal stories with us. There are too many people to list, and I hope to see them in the near future.

We cannot let opportunities to speak our minds slip past this holiday season. As we gather with friends and family for Christmas and New Year, we must leave nothing unsaid. There are far too many variables in life for us to depend on seeing them next time or saying something that matters next time.

There may not be a next time, and any sentiment of love or gratitude or forgiveness should be of enough value that it’s an immediate priority. It’s more difficult to voice the things that matter most, but that is exactly why they must be said—they matter most.
Merry Christmas everyone!