There is a story about a man who came home one day to find his little daughter crying bitterly. He asked her what the matter was. She said that she had been playing at hide-and-seek with her friends. But when it was her turn to hide, she had hid so well that they had given up looking for her and had gone off to play another game. She waited and waited for them to find her, but they failed to do so. When she finally came out of her hiding place she found herself all alone.

Often, we too, feel lonely like this little girl. We have hidden ourselves so successfully that some people are unable to find us. And eventually they give up looking for us, and go off in other directions.

It may be that for most of our lives we went unrecognized. It may be that we are essentially shy people. Many of us have little confidence in our social skills. Even when we do come into the public sphere, not everyone appears to believe us.
If you relate to anything similar, you are not alone. It is perfectly understandable.

Here is where Christmas comes to our aid. At Christmas the world is filled with the great occasion that generates lots of events for celebration and get-togethers. It is the time when friends reunite and family relatives make a special effort to meet up. Everyone has the opportunity to interact and enjoy the party. That includes us; we can shine like we never shone before.

For the rest of the year we may have been seen by others as distant and remote, not really concerned about anyone else and their concerns. Worse still, we may have been seen as a judge or a spy, ready to pounce and gossip. But when the Christmas season of celebration begins, no-one is seen as remote anymore. We  see cousins and colleagues that are very close to us and who are concerned about each of us. And so we all get uplifted by the friendship and can join in the sharing of meals, the surprises in presents and the shaking of hands.

There is still a loneliness that can drift over our Christmas because we feel the loss of those who have passed on. We all get that. It is ok to let a few hours go by in contemplation and reflection. If we allow ourselves time to grieve the loss of loved ones, we are doing it right. To join this up with the sociability of Christmas events we can see our lives enriched for the future, for the days ahead, for the lonely days ahead because we can have happy memories of what we did this Christmas.

I wish for everyone that this happy holiday season will enrich all life. It may be in a busy shopping center that the glitter and sparkle of decorations can make eyes twinkle. It may be in a church that a candle will shine more brightly to lead a personal journey. It may be in a dinning room with laden table of festive food that nourishes the soul. Wherever you find yourself this Christmas season, I wish you lots of warm and loving smiles to see, caring hands to shake and a little dance in your step as you go. Because you were never really hidden.