Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Every time Christmas season rolls around, I’m reminded of one of my earliest childhood memories.

I was living in the metropolis of Reeder, North Dakota (which has a current population of 125 people) as I held my head down and made my way back home from church school.

It was a particularly cold North Dakota night and the wind was howling in my face as I shielded for coverage. My breath was shortening and my boots were living deep footprints in the falling snow.

But the cold didn’t break me.

After it all, it was the Christmas season and I was a kid! Instead of complaining about the cold, I gazed at the falling snowflakes in the street light above me. Soon, a profound sense of awe fell over me.

The butterflies I felt in my stomach were matched by the warmth I felt in my heart. For a moment, I was a part of that cold, silent, beautiful evening. The streets were empty and the sky was as dark as midnight, but I did not feel alone.

It was a feeling I still hold on to when times get dark and it’s a reminder that we can still find hope in the most dire of circumstances.

When I returned home from the memorable walk, I returned to the trailer home that my family lived in and I slept in the small room that I shared with my two older brothers. While I can’t recall what we had for supper that night or what my brothers and I talked about, I’m sure we were all glowing with the anticipation of Christmas.

As we grow older, the holidays can sometimes grow a little colder and it can be a tough time for anyone struggling with their mental health.

I implore all of you to be a little kinder this season and try to find the positives, no matter what is going on in your life.

This is a gentle reminder for anyone who is struggling to forget about the freezing cold wind and focus on the falling snow in the streetlight.