“He who has not Christmas in his heart will never find it under a tree.” – Anonymous

Not growing up as a Christian and being an atheist, I nevertheless was still interested in the spirit of the season. I decided as a young adult that Christmas was a time to celebrate love, joy, and friendship. It started including giving of gifts, often very much from the heart, but sometimes out of a feeling of obligation.

As I moved into a spiritual life after “coming to believe,” and my heart opened to God and people, Christmas became more and more about love and joy, now looked at as spiritual qualities. The material world of holiday shopping and gift-giving paled compared to the spiritual world’s gifts of the heart.

In these quickly and severely changing times in the world, the material has less meaning to me, and relationships are clearly more important than any item I can touch and wrap. During this holiday season – and any time really – the best gift I can give to others is my presence. That is, to be attentive, a good listener, compassionate, and uplifting. To be present in body, mind, and spirit. To come from a place of heart. This cannot be bought or found under a tree – joy and love can only be found through Spirit.