I chose this day, the 26th, for Linda’s Blog Challenge over at Litebeing Chronicles because it’s a day that seems to go under the radar (at least in America), and therefore it’s a day that I wanted to know more about. I also wasn’t sure when I’d sign up and time was running out! Here’s some of what we discovered.

The day after Christmas is known as Boxing Day in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth nations such as Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and others. Traditionally, on the day after Christmas people give a box of presents to servants or tradespeople to show appreciation for their year-round hard work.

December 26^th is also the Feast of St. Stephen (or St. Stephen’s Day), a holiday during which people traditionally give alms to the poor. This compassion and generosity is celebrated by the Christmas carol “Good King Wenceslas,” which tells a story of Wenceslas I, Duke of Bohemia, bringing firewood and food to a struggling peasant on a cold winter’s night. Here’s the song:

What Boxing Day and St. Stephen’s Day have in common is to focus not on the accrual of material possessions (gifts, toys, candy, or decorations), but rather on sharing kindness with those outside the family and therefore within the greater community. I found it quite interesting to learn about St. Stephen’s Day/Boxing Day.

Here’s the Blog Challenge Q & A:

Which lessons did you learn?

I learned to keep moving forward in 2014. It was also a busy year for me in my personal life. It was full of excitement and a bit of wonderment. It was also my first full year of being in a new city with my husband. As it turned out, there was so much change and newness for the both of us this past year. The newness has helped me to stick to the present moment, taking each day as it comes.

How did you serve others?

My husband recently called me, “the stranger whisperer.” I think he meant it humorously, but he says there’s truth to it. I asked him why, and he says that I connect well with strangers and inspire them. This year I saved a woman from losing her car battery by knocking on the door to her home to let her know her headlights were still on outside. She had these immense birds in her house that were squawking, and she didn’t easily hear the knock at the door. It was difficult to get her to answer, but when she did, she was really grateful about the car. Then on another day, due a strange and specific urge of mine to take the elevator in a deserted parking garage, I saved two men who were trapped in the elevator. Sadly, no one could hear their previous calls for help. Freeing them made me feel lucky! So, that was actually a blessing to me. Grace comes in and helps us to help another.

What blessings did you receive?

Every morning when I wake up, I am grateful that I am alive. I am grateful that I am healthy. Every day, I am grateful that I get the chance to walk around. Having recovered from an injury – I do not take my mobility, nor any ability to conduct my ‘activities of daily living’ (ADLs) for granted!!

Did you receive any “gifts” in terms of powers or skills? 

The greatest gift I received was the return of ‘Beginner’s Mind.’ I’ve been meditating for a while now. Every time I get back to ‘Beginner’s Mind,’ I get this sense of living on my edge in a soft and compassionate way – it’s the power of love and genuine receptivity of Spirit. Mmmm

Next up in the blog challenge is Pearlgirl  on December 27th. Nice to meet you at the Blog Challenge 2014!