On one particular morning this past week I was sipping my hot chocolate and casually perusing a Christmas book that had been left on the dining-room table on its way to be packed up with all of the other Christmas items. It was a book filled with pictures of quaint cottages surrounded by snow and, of course, the lighted windows allowed a glimpse of the delicately decorated Christmas tree inside. The pictures were partnered with paragraphs of Christmas memories and traditions, sprinkled with comments of child laughter and savory gingerbread.

As I was reading I happened to become aware of my response to the pictures and the stories. I was longing to replicate those traditions in my home; to live in a place that snowed in the winter so my house could resemble the Kinkade-esque cottages that adorn most Christmas cards; to compliment my decorating with cinnamon apple candles and gingerbread men.  Why?

I would call it ‘soul warmth.’ It is that sense of belonging to a place where you’ve always wanted to be; the relief in knowing that the horses are in the barn and the children snuggled in their beds when the storm hits or of making it to the shore before the ocean currents change; the satisfication in a completed to-do list at the end of a Saturday when you sit down to a movie and popcorn; the pleasure in planning an event that everyone enjoys; and the list goes on. 

What causes a warmth of the soul? Humans are always striving to find an equilibrium of the spirit. There is ever some loose end to tie up, some sentence to tweak, some more polishing of the carving to be done. But on occasion we have those moments when everything is just right – there is nothing more to do and what has been done, has been done right. The worries have faded into the shadows, and the future, for the moment, is a promising sunrise. Our hearts are content with life.

We wish every day to be one of soul warmth; unfortunately the hustle and bustle, the scurry and worry, the chaos and confusion of traffic and deadlines and bills and peace-making interrupt our attempts to reach a consistent equilibrium. However, it never hurts to create a sanctuary in your life where you can consistently find that soothing calm. For example, a regular route to walk, a reading corner, a hobby, a playlist of your most uplifting music, or simply light a candle. 

Make your life a haven for yourself and share your joy with others.