Be A Holiday Wingman

  • Published
  • By Ch, Capt. Travis W. Ferguson
  • 940th Air Refueling Wing
BEALE AIR FORCE BASE, California --  

You’re hearing sleigh bells and Santa Clause songs on the radio. Stores are “decking the halls.” You’re figuring out how many of your crazy relatives are coming over for dinner this month. And, let us not forget, you’re watching as your neighbors decorate their entire house without realizing how much their electric bill is going to be. This can only mean one thing: it’s December.

Many of us celebrate specific holidays in December such as Christmas, Hanukkah or Kwanza. Some won’t be celebrating any of those holidays, but will still be buying presents to put under a tree as they tell their kids about this large man who comes down the chimney and eats all the cookies he can (no … I’m not talking about Chaplain Bredeson). Whatever tradition you have in December, it’s good to take a moment to pause. To reflect.

Too often our December becomes a time where we are filled with anxiety, unrest, and a hurried heart. We worry about money, we fret that there’s “never enough time.” We start to reflect more on what we don’t have than what we do have. My advice? Slow down. Take a breath. Rejoice. “Rejoice?! Easy for you to say, Chaplain!” You’re right. It’s easy for me to say, but not always easy for me to do. And yet I need to rejoice – because far more in my life is going right than is going wrong.

Often times, when I’m at my most anxious in December, I’ll sit down and write out everything that is going well in my life. I have a car to drive to work. I have a roof over my head. I don’t worry where my next meal is coming from. I have clean water to drink. I have good friends. I have air in my lungs. What about you? What can you rejoice over?

This December, I encourage you to ask your fellow service members what they have to rejoice over. Reach out to someone and talk with them about what they’re looking forward to, and even what they’re dreading. Your willingness to reach out may just be the positive turning point that they need. Be a wingman. And don’t forget to rejoice. Proud to serve with you,