Celebrate

In this hour, the word Celebrate has been highlighted for months now.

A smile appears when I hear and see this word, Celebrate! I think of confetti and cupcakes, of joy and laughter, and yes, friends and family.

It seems to me many have been void of the above, laughter, joy, friends and family; and I mean real friends and family. Could it possibly be it was just me? Maybe. But truly I have met several people who have felt like they are not celebrated. Like those around them have not genuinely been friends, but only been friends for what they can get from you.

Unfortunately, this world has been plagued by jealousy and competition, where a breed of sore losers has emerged. This is the time where celebrating each other’s successes is vital for the health of community. Most importantly, it is crucial to learn to celebrate your own successes. Yes, you read that correctly, celebrate your own successes too!

Because competition has infiltrated our society, even when we have a win, we tend to not take time to celebrate. We take a deep sigh and move on to the next causing stress to perform. When I was in my running season training for half marathons, I remember once one race was done I would move to the next trying to “PR,” which is to break a Personal Record. I wouldn’t enjoy the run being so focused on doing better than the last. This is what happens when we don’t learn to celebrate our accomplishments and achievements. We become self-focused trying to outshine others instead of celebrating others because we are pleased with where we are in life. When we can learn to celebrate our achievements, then we can also celebrate others in theirs instead of competing with them.

Celebration brings peace breaking heaviness, allowing fresh wind to enter our lungs, oxygen to make it into our brain bringing new healthy thoughts.

I’ll even touch on birthday celebrations. For almost a decade, I hated when my birthday was coming, I felt my life was worthless, therefore it was worthless to celebrate. A root of depression, anger, and bitterness on the bed rejection birthed self-rejection. I didn’t see the goodness in my life because I kept comparing my life with others. Finally, as of this year, I am in a place I long to celebrate, not necessarily in a big way, though I am not opposed, BUT to celebrate even by pausing, taking the time to smile, drink my favorite coffee, eat my favorite dessert and say “wow, I am alive!” This shifted not only my countenance, but even the kind of people that surrounded me.

This is a season to celebrate, celebrate the good, the bad and even the ugly. Thank God for revealing the ugly, thank God for allowing the bad to happen which made you stronger, thank God and celebrate you are alive, celebrate you have breath in your lungs, celebrate what has been, what is gone, and what is to come.  Keep an attitude of gratitude.

This is your season to take a moment, go get your favorite dessert, go to your favorite place, get yourself a gift and celebrate! It is time to take the time to pause, take a deep breath in, smile and acknowledge just how amazing you are and how far you have come! Time to celebrate!!!

Today, I celebrate you!