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A few days ago, someone asked me if I enjoyed the holiday season. Without hesitation, I said, “No. I think it is the saddest time of the year.”

I resent the many colorful, glamorous billboards advertising the most abused drug -alcohol. I feel for the young children who will be abused and neglected because of alcohol. I feel for the suffering alcoholics and drug users who think they need mind altering chemicals to get high. I hurt for the people who attend church because of obligation, not really understanding what special day Christmas really is.

One of the things I remember most about this holiday is that at a very young age of 11 or 12, we were allowed to have a couple of alcoholic drinks on this joyous occasion.

As I grew older, the celebration of Christmas was always an excuse to drink and eat as much as you wanted. I can remember going to Midnight Mass on a few occasions too drunk to stand up. In later years, I would be too intoxicated to help with my children’s toys. I thank God that those days are in the past.

That ended on the second Sunday in October 1980, when I made a decision to accept Jesus as the Lord of my life. I then realized that God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save it. He came to set us free.

Christmas is a time for celebration. As Christians, we celebrate the birth of Our Lord, Jesus Christ.

Christmas is also a time for salvation. God loves us so much that He sent His only Son to suffer and die for us so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life. It’s a gift that, if we choose, will last forever.

Christmas is also a time for reconciliation. Reconciliation is the restoration of peace -peace with God, peace with others, peace with family and friends, and, most of all, peace in our own hearts.

I pray that this Christmas Season, while we are busy preparing for the celebration, we remember whose birthday we’re celebrating.

If you have any questions, or comments, please write to Get High on Life, P.O. Drawer U, Reserve, LA 70084, call 985-652-8477 or email hkeller@comcast.net.