True Meaning of Christmas

Christmas is fast approaching and through the hustle and bustle of getting ready for it, I've decided to take a few minutes to reflect just what this time of year means to me. I decided to do this while at the holiday concert for OMP's students.

If you have never been to a kid's concert or choir, then I highly suggest that you take some time and do it. It will renew your faith in humanity and give you a giggle or two. I sat in the audience like a proud parent, watching OMP instruct his students on how to drum as the choir sang slightly off key. Tears welled up in my eyes as I listened to the bows painfully run across violin strings. It brought a joy to my heart that could never be measured.

As I sat and looked around at all the proud parents video taping their children and not giving a care that the choir sang off key or their child was making goofy faces while playing jingle bells, I recognized what was important about this season, about life in general. See, it doesn't matter how good you are at something, it's just the fact that you are taking that chance. That you are willing to sing off key and do it at the top of your lungs. I smiled at the little girl whose voice was shaky during her solo, I gave her a look  as if to tell her, " Go Girl! You can do it!" She smiled back and belted out Up on the Roof Top.

The crowning point of the night was when everyone was asked to participate in singing Christmas songs. Grandparents, parents, and siblings all joined in to sing Frosty the Snowman. It was at that moment that I felt the true meaning of Christmas. It wasn't about presents, or making sure I made it to church or even the perfect cookie. It was about family-in whatever capacity that meant. It was about coming together with your neighbor and for those three minutes, forgetting everything that is different about each other and embracing the person.

After the concert was over, everyone went back to their lives, but for that one night-people from different backgrounds came together to sing silly songs, to show brotherly love and to give a little of themselves and that my friend, is what Christmas is all about.