The warm days of Indian summer slip into cool gray November skies. Green grass fades while trees shed leaves of orange, red, and brown. Shrubbery blooms fall to the ground with the first frost. Traffic intensifies; crowds grow at the mall, the grocery store, and the post office. The Sunday Dallas Morning News, ten inches in diameter and seemingly weighing five pounds, is filled with ads to help with the ever growing shopping list. Invitations arrive, quickly filling the calendar with gatherings with friends and family, holiday music concerts, and traditional events. Decorations line suburban streets and department stores. THE HOLIDAYS, 2004 are here.

The nineteenth century Shaker hymn "Tis a Gift to Be Simple" powerfully shapes the desire to enter this holiday season purposely seeking simplicity.

Living a life of simplicity does not mean to do without. In her book Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy, Sarah Ban Breathnach states, "true simplicity as a conscious life choice illuminates our lives from within- liberates depressed spirits from the bondage, and burden of extravagance and excess." I am reminded of the simple joys that come from seeing a beautiful sunrise or sunset, celebrating the roses blooming in our backyard garden, enjoying an e-mail from far-away friends, the smile that comes from a call from one of my family members saying I love you.

A heart filled with gratitude comes from focusing on our life assets rather than on what we do not have. All too often I get caught in the marketing frenzy that wants to convince me that I need MORE things, BETTER things, or DIFFERENT things. Intentionally acknowledging our personal values helps us discern our significance and abundance. I invite you to open yourself to the power of a grateful heart by every day being thankful and expressing gratitude.

Surviving the holidays with simplicity and gratitude can be done. I want to challenge you to think about your holiday rituals and traditions. Take a few moments right now to consider the source of your rituals and celebrations. Are you being driven by more, better, different? Can you let go to create new traditions? I encourage you to explore and create rituals that are meaningful to your family. Children in my practice often remind me that their best memories of holidays or family vacations are not the presents that were received, but the time spent with a parent or grandparent playing a game, reading a book, baking a simple batch of cookies, singing a favorite holiday song, or watching a much loved holiday movie.

May your holidays be filled with simple joys and gratitude for all your abundance.