Celebrate Joy with the Season
By • December 6, 2023 0 1154
The holidays can be a joyous time of year but also a difficult time for many. While last month was all about gratitude and giving thanks, this month turns to the concept of joy. With wars raging in Ukraine and Gaza, it’s hard to feel particularly joyful this holiday season. While we are in no way advocating not caring about issues like these, we will say that sometimes it is a form of self-care — and ultimately care for others — to take some time to reflect on the joy that is in one’s own life at this very moment.
Joy can be as little as the delicious coffee you love at the shop around the corner. Joy can be a walk around Georgetown with your dog, taking in the neighborhood holiday decorations. Feeling joyful can be bigger too, like taking time to reflect on family or friends who surround you this holiday season.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of two classic holiday films: “Elf” and “Love Actually.” Both have great messages when it comes to joy. Will Ferrell’s Buddy the Elf may seem like a bumbling idiot but look a little closer and you’ll see he’s just full of pure joy. He’s happy to meet a family he never knew, he finds great delight in everyday things like revolving doors or an average cup of coffee. He finds that the little things in life are worth smiling about.
“Love Actually” has a great monologue by Hugh Grant as the movie begins. Reflecting on the gloomy state of the world, he reminisces about the arrivals gate at Heathrow Airport. He talks about how people generally believe that we live in a world of hatred and greed, but he doesn’t see that. “It seems to be that love is everywhere. Often, it’s not particularly dignified or newsworthy, but it’s always there,” he tells the viewer. As he ends his monologue, he says, “If you look for it, I’ve got a sneaky feeling you’ll find that love actually is all around.”
This holiday season, take some time to really look for that love. Chances are, you’ll find it surrounds us every day in some way or another. Find that joy for yourself, no matter how big or small. Happy holidays, Georgetown.
