One last-minute holiday gift might mean the most of all

It’s Christmas Day. And WFAE’s Tommy Tomlinson, in his "On My Mind" commentary, has an idea for a last-minute gift that you don’t even have to wrap.

Good morning, and Merry Christmas to all who celebrate.

If your family is like some — especially if little kids are involved — your living room might already be a blizzard of boxes and wrapping paper and things that need batteries. If you’re in a more sedate household, maybe you’re holding off for a little bit until everybody finishes breakfast. Or maybe you’re part of a bigger gathering later on. Everybody does the holiday a different way, and none of them are wrong.

But I would like to suggest one last gift you could give today, not just for the recipient but for yourself.

Reach out.

There’s probably somebody you’ve been thinking about lately. It could be a family member you’ve drifted away from for whatever reason — politics or money or some long-ago grudge. It could be a friend you lost track of because one of you moved away. It could be someone you know is spending the holiday alone.

Today would be a good day to give them a call, or even a text, to let you know they’re on your mind.

It’s a paradox that as the contact lists on our phones get longer and longer, the harder it seems to truly connect with anyone. Some days I feel like a hummingbird, landing on one flower after another for just a second or two before moving on. It’s a rare moment when a conversation gets much deeper than the surface.

And the longer it’s been since you’ve talked to someone, the harder it is to pick up the phone. Maybe you think they’re the ones who owe you the call, and maybe you’re right. But it doesn’t matter who’s right if neither side ever makes the first move.

There are a lot of ways to interpret the Christmas story. But you might consider it God’s attempt to get a message to the people he’d lost touch with. To let them know he cared.

It was a pretty elaborate way to go about it, but then, God can be a bit of a show-off. You and I don’t need anything fancy. Just a few true words. I’ve been thinking about you. How are you doing? Have you got a few minutes to talk?

I’m not promising magic in return. Every gift is a gamble. But I do think the world is better when we tell the people we care about that we care about them. Especially when we haven’t said it in a while.

Enjoy the rest of the holiday. May you find joy, peace and connection.