An invitation not to do more but to notice more

Christmas is six days away, and our routines seem to accelerate.

- PINKY CONCHA COLMENARES

Errands multiply, schedules tighten, and even rest begins to feel like something that must be planned. We move from one obligation to another, expecting the meaning of the season will reveal itself once the gifts are bought, the meals prepared, the gatherings complete.

But more often than not, what stays with us are not the grand moments we carefully arrange but the unexpected situations or the quiet ones we stumble upon. These are the moments of quiet grace when we show our “ability to handle difficult situations with dignity, calm, and composure without seeking recognition for one's actions.”

These moments are also the times when we find the inner strength to respond with kindness, forgiveness, and gentleness, rather than with anger or resentment especially when bad situations happen while we had planned a perfect time. Will most people respond with quiet grace and choose to do a good deed — or say an inspiring word — instead of pouring one's anger on the person who caused a delay to your plans?