Ornaments of the Heart
Now there’s a thought . . .
What catches your eye when you see people’s holiday decorations?
For many of us, holiday decorations tell a story. More than just simple adornments, each ornament is a miniature time capsule, a tangible marker often worth more than its original cost. For some, the Christmas tree itself becomes a beautiful display of one's life journey. You see ornaments that represent milestones like "First Home," "Graduation," or "Baby's First Christmas," alongside proud nods to a favorite sports team or a cherished anniversary. By displaying these ornaments, we share a part of our history and our beliefs. It's like a visual autobiography, giving us a heartfelt glimpse into a person's life through their collection. There are also other “ornaments” that can go far beyond the Christmas tree. Look below to see more.
Arty worked hard learning how to “lift up” the sign with three virtues describing the Ornaments of the Heart: Kindheartedness, Lightheartedness and Warmheartedness. To fully appreciate these ornaments , let’s first look at the staged process Arty had to go through to accomplish his trick.
Arty doesn’t like to open his mouth to fetch. I discovered quite by accident that he could use his nose to lift up something, and we used that in learning this trick in stages. Here is an overview of a step-by-step process used to train him:
Step One: Introduction to the “sign”
Step Two: “No thanks!”
Step Three: Adding the stool
Just like Arty, who needed stages to accomplish his trick, we can mirror this process for cultivating these three virtues: this journey comes one step at a time—one kind word or act, one lighthearted moment, one trusted, warm conversation—this gradual approach works because our hearts are ever-changing.
BTW, these virtues are inspired by thoughts gleaned from the excellent article by Dr. Donald Demarco www.catholicexchange.com, December 11, 2024.
Kindheartedness
To be around someone who is kindhearted is wonderful! They often do special, sometimes seemingly insignificant gestures. And what makes it so great is that these "acts of kindness" require no thanks. They are the little intangible things that are grounded in the idea of "good will towards men", believing that the road to a better world is through kindness.
Lightheartedness
Lightheartedness is a gift that can bring laughter even on a gloomy day - the kind of person who walks into a room and uplifts the mood. Their perspective that “maybe this isn’t so bad after all” rubs off on the rest of us and seems to lighten the load. What a joy to spend time with a lighthearted person. It’s as if the light inside outshines the most dreary day. They simply look up instead of down and choose not to take themselves (or others) too seriously.
Warmheartedness
Warmth has its source in the furnace of the heart, a heart that radiates warmth, love, trust and empathy. A warmhearted person is easy to talk with, understands the pain life sometimes brings, and can be trusted to hold your heart in safe hands. It’s just part of who they are. They have an abundance of empathy and rarely ask for anything in return for what they give. Those around them can bask in the warmth of being understood and cared for.
Arty fits “Lightheartedness” the best!
No one is perfect—and it’s not perfection we are looking for. This holiday season, we invite you to join Arty and "lift up" these qualities, knowing that every single intentional "act of the heart" brings joy and makes a difference in your home and community. Just like Arty learned his trick in stages, we can cultivate these three “Ornaments“ of the heart as a process taken one step at a time, allowing the qualities of Kindheartedness, Lightheartedness, and Warmheartedness to become one of the most treasured, brilliant parts of our story through the holidays.
What will catch your eye this season?
