Merry Christmas to You!

I hope you’re having a very merry Christmas. But I have to confess—though I am not a religious person, I do honor the meaning of Christmas and the example of the life of Jesus. As such, Christmas is an invitation to be kind and generous towards our neighbors who are near and far; a reminder to remain hopeful, even in dark hours; and a call to cultivate a radical sense of humility in all our dealings.

When I see a nativity scene—and knowing the full arc of Jesus’s life—all of these beautiful values (and more) spring to my mind and heart. But I have to admit that amidst the joy and beauty of Christmas comes a dull ache. It is the pain of self-reflection; the pain of knowing how frequently I fall short of expressing these values to my best ability. It is in these moments of fuller awareness, amidst the joy and ache of recognition, that I am reminded to try again, to do better.

And so it is that even more of the meaning of Christmas is revealed to me:

Compassion!

Forgiveness!

Today, I am inspired to receive the true gifts of this season: Christmas as a loving nudge to do better—to more fully embody generosity, hope, humility, compassion and forgiveness in the days to come.

Even as entrepreneurs, I believe these values to be our Star of Bethlehem.

So beyond wishing you a merry Christmas…

• I wish you love, and to labor with love and faith
• I wish for the world to reward your generosity many-fold.
• I hope you never lose hope, even when your grasp of it seems tenuous;
• I hope you remain a humble servant in all your dealings;
• I hope you will treat yourself and others, especially those who hurt, with abundant compassion;
• And may you forgive, yourself—especially—but also those who have wronged you, when you feel healed enough to do so.

That, and all else that is good, I wish for YOU.

May it be.

Sincerely,

-Danilo