My Christmas Wish

My Christmas Wish

Over the last few days I have been reflecting on what my most memorable Christmas gifts were. I realized that there were so many over the years they all just blended together. I know I’ve always appreciated my gifts but some were everyday things I used, others were gadgets, and as it turns out the one I remembered most was the race track I got when I was a little boy. Now, my first track as I recall wasn’t really a race track but it was a road track with battery powered cars and a mountain range, a bridge or two and scenery. As I reached back to my childhood and thought about it I remembered getting the Sears Christmas catalog and sitting there looking at all the toys and fixating on the race tracks. It was easy to build a wish list as a child……so many things I wanted and needed, at least I thought I needed. I had my car track set up in the corner of my bedroom and probably played with it more than most gifts. It was a nice present and that brought a lot of joy.

Now as I’ve turned another milestone in life with our youngest graduating from High School the Christmas wish list is different. It’s not so much about gadgets and things although I still get them and I still see things that I think I have to have. I’ve found now my wish list is more about my life mission and purpose. In fact, even at this stage in life I would love to get a wrapped box with a Christmas Wish coupon that said I was awarded a 10 year advance on reaching a broader audience with my music.

Over the last few weeks I’ve been able to play at a number of events and it is so rewarding when you know that you’ve touched someone in a positive way with your music or for you whatever your gift may be. My gift is the gift of music, something that started to emerge in my life as a young boy and has never really stopped blooming and growing. When I play I love to look around the audience and most of the time I’ll see someone that is connecting with my music and message. It’s hard to say what they are thinking but I can see it in their eyes. The music has struck a chord in their heart and I am witnessing it in person. Some are older, some are middle aged adults and some are just very young. At each age, the music is speaking something different to them, giving hope, or to another a vision of becoming a better musician, or to another a new found joy that they once experienced in life. I’ve seen that in the eyes of people over the last few weeks and it makes me realize that nothing is more important than the intangible gifts we give or receive.

My wish this Christmas and coming year is that I can give more intangible gifts. One that inspires a young musician to work harder and strive to be the musician God wants him or her to be. To give hope to those who have lost hope because of a lost loved one, parent or child or a lost job, or even a lost home. And for what it’s worth, joy for those who are suffering and haven’t heard the music for the struggle in their life has been overwhelming. I wonder if we all just reached one person or family who was less fortunate how much better the world would be. It might be that all you have to do is pick up the phone and call someone who you haven’t called in some time. Better yet just go by and see them. Take some music with you!

Merry Christmas

Paul Aaron