This past Christmas I traveled back to my hometown of Kansas City, Missouri to visit my family. I usually look forward to this as it is an opportunity to spend time with my family. This year, however, things were a bit different as my family had experienced a huge family argument and everyone was still angry with one another and not speaking or getting along. Because of this we did not have a gathering with everyone present so I had to celebrate separately with different family members on different days. Although this was not my ideal, I went with the flow and decided to try to make it as special as I could. On Christmas Eve I was scheduled to spend the day with my Mother. She had been feeling down about the family quarrel because it left her with nothing to do on Christmas Day. When I arrived I found out that she had invited her brother and sister and their families over to have dinner on Christmas Day, but I would not be able to attend because I was scheduled to spend the day with my father and his wife. I was happy that my Mother had created something festive for herself although I wished I could be a part of it and was content in knowing that she and I would make our own celebration on Christmas Eve. We decided to visit Crown Center which had shops and restaurants and had been a tradition for us when my Grandmother was alive. When I arrived at my Mother's home she had her table already set for her dinner on Christmas day which told me that I guess we would not be having a dinner together. I was fine with going out to eat and looked forward to our day together. Christmas Eve morning I got up and got dressed, ready to begin our day together, to learn that my Mother had decided she did not want to go out. She said it was too cold and there was too much traffic and she wanted to focus on getting ready for her guests for the next day. I asked if she'd like to go to a movie or do something else ... perhaps go out to eat ... do something fun and festive together. But all she could focus on was preparing for her guests the next day. My feelings were extremely hurt and I spent the day angry, hurt and watching television by myself. Not what I had envisioned having traveled 1,200 miles to spend the day with her. That evening went I went to bed contemplating the day I had an "aw-ha" experience. How many times in my life did I treat God the same way? How many times in my life did I fail to give God the attention and focus that he/she deserves? Although my thoughts are almost always on God and my motivation for my life is for God, sometimes I let the busyness of life get in the way of actually sitting down to do my meditation and prayer as much as I would like. Although I am a devout belieiver in meditation, when I don't make the time for it, I justify it by saying that "I'm thinking of God". It's not the same ... I realized and experienced that first hand by what had happened to me that day. Although you know someone loves you, if they don't make the time to give you attention and focus on you and actually let you know they love you ... it's not the same. Although it can be comforting at times to be close enough to someone that you can just "be" in the same space spending time together without speaking, the bond and the connection is so much stronger and more special if you actually take the time to sit down with them, face to face, heart to heart and talk and share and experience one another. The same is true, I believe, with God. We need to take the time to focus our attention in prayer and meditation on God ... to speak our heart and to listen intently to the wisdom and the energy that is bestowed upon us. It is so profound - there is nothing else like it. It is the Source that fuels your soul and when we deny ourselves this precious gift, our life suffers in many ways. Taking this time for God is important because it strengthens the bond and aligns us with the Divine in a way that cannot be done by just our thoughts alone. I don't believe God get his/her feelings hurt like a human does, but I do believe that showing our devotion benefits us greatly in so many ways. I remember my favorite Bible quote ... "Eye has not seen, ear has not heard, nor has it so much as dawned on man, the great things that God has in store for those who love Him." Next time I am tempted to skip my meditation time because I am "too busy" ... I will remember this experience. I hope you will also and I urge you to always take time for God. Namaste'.