Saturday 25 December 2021

A Happy/ Fulfilled Christmas

I was awake early as usual - but the family are still asleep as I write and the special events of the day have hardly begun. 

Therefore, I have a sense of anticipation - which is my dominant emotion concerning the lead-in to Christmas (which is the main thing about it - since it lasts so much longer than the day). Meanwhile, I have been thinking and noting; and dipping-into books while I wait - the Tolkien biography by Carpenter, Para Handy stories by Neil Munro, and a Christmas stocking filler about eccentric English clergy. 

But things will begin to happen very soon. 

So, a Happy Christmas to my readers and commenters, known and not-known; and to the Romantic Christian 'group' of (mostly, but not entirely) co-bloggers who provide my online and international equivalent of The Inklings: an audience, critical appreciation, a sense of shared purpose. 

I hope that I and you who read this will be able to discover within ourselves the right attitude and attributes to make the most and the best of today. 

For me, my powers of response and personal capabilities have - for most of my life - been the "limiting factor"; rather than external and imposed circumstances. This feels like a great blessing. But others may have the excuse of blaming their situation for their limitations - I don't

But whatever has been done, so long as we are sustained alive - there is more to be done, more that needs to be done; or, accurately, more things to learn.

To learn even on Christmas Day - especially on Christmas Day. Things will happen-to each of us from-now; life will bring-us experiences - so our job is to be aware, to notice and discern, to choose and take responsibility for our choosing. 

A Happy Christmas is a fulfilled Christmas. 


10 comments:

Yves-Marie said...

A very Happy and fullfilled Christmas to you, Mr Charlton,

Thank you for your writings, always full of gifts.

Yves-Marie

William Wildblood said...

A very happy Christmas to you and your family, Bruce,and many thanks for providing so much light in the darkness of the last year.

John Goes said...

Merry Christmas, Dr. Charlton. I think your writing reverberates more widely than you know. I’m very grateful for it. I wish you and your family a blessed season full of joy and learning.

Skarphedin said...

Merry Christmas Dr Charlton! Your writings have had a great positive influence on me. Thank you.

(And apologies for my immature American informality which I will try and throttle down)

Luke said...

Merry Christmas Dr. Charlton.

ben said...

Merry Christmas. Thank God for this blog, truly.

No Longer Reading said...

Merry Christmas

A said...

Merry Christmas. I have been thinking about your writings and praying on the overriding lesson and centrality of love, and it has been a help and clarification.

Faculty X said...

Merry Christmas, Doctor.

Thanks for keeping the Spirit of Truth alive.

David Earle said...

Merry Christmas, Dr Charlton and many thanks for all your writings this year.