“The bell still rings for all who truly believe”.
This quote comes from The Polar Express. In this movie, a doubting boy lies in bed wishing to hear the sound of reindeer bells. Soon after, he experiences an amazing journey when a train conductor invites him to travel to the North Pole with other children. Once there, he receives a gift that only true believers are able to experience.
Although the story is about Christmas and Santa Claus, it holds deeper meaning and highlights several important spiritual life lessons anyone can benefit from.
The Winter months bring many important holidays, celebrated by a variety of cultures and religions. It’s a great time to remember that the diversity that makes us so interesting is also a thread within our common humanity. As humans, we tend to use labels to identify ourselves and each other, but beyond those labels lies the truth, that we are all spiritual beings sharing a human experience.
This is the time of year where most faiths stress developing peace and good will towards others. It’s a great time to consciously focus on our similarities as they serve as a bridge towards wisdom and deeper understanding. There are many paths to the truth we seek, and each of us is on our own road to the same ultimate destination. Most humans long for a greater sense of meaning and purpose in life.
Connecting with that sense of wonder and curiosity about the meaning of life is a lot like that boy and his train ride. It calls on us to look beyond our daily struggles and doubts. It is symbolic of a spiritual journey where we begin to truly understand the spiritual wisdom that has been taught to us by experiencing the lessons for ourselves.
Mother Teresa once said that each human is like a drop in the ocean. When you look at yourself, you may feel small and insignificant, but she believed that the ocean would be less without that one drop. She encouraged others to look for the ocean within the drop, rather than view themselves as separate and insignificant. Seeking a glimpse of the all within is a powerful perspective shifter and brings a stronger sense of power, meaning and purpose to life. It’s like the bell that only seekers can hear.
When we connect with that life force that flows through all of us; it brings a strong sense of inner peace and calm. Sadly, daily life has a way of wearing on us. The daily demands of work, life and caring for others distracts us from our soul purpose and we lose that innate sense of connection with others. It’s hard to take time to seek when we are so busy with everything else.
The Winter season and it’s holidays help reawaken that desire for renewal and connection. Many feel inspired to search for deeper meaning and purpose again. There is an almost magical spirituality that happens this time of year when we look beyond the surface of rituals and commercialism. It brings feelings of hope and joy as we reconnect and celebrate with loved ones and look optimistically towards another new year.
It is possible to keep the magic of the season alive when you listen carefully for that still, small voice that lies within us all.
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