Dear Friends,
It is Christmas Eve and I am thinking about you.
Over the past five years, since I began working with Internationally Educated Nurses, like you, my heart opened wide. I did not know then how many friends I would gain in choosing to help people obtain their dreams of life in Canada.
This year I was graced with the opportunity to enter the homes of three dear people I met through CELBANPrep. Each time I was treated to wonderful traditional food, and met family and friends alike. Each time my heart expanded even further.
As I sat at the table of one amazing woman, two weeks ago, I thought about how much I want to meet each and every person who has come into my life, through CELBANPrep. I don’t know how it will happen, but I know that it is something I really want to do, so it will be part of my planning in the new year: my new years resolution!
While the Christmas season is upon us I know that there are many of you who, like me, may be having a very different Christmas than usual. You may be in a new place, surrounded by people you do not know, missing those you do. You may be wanting for familiar traditions, songs and food. You may be missing the smiles and hugs of loved ones. Divorce and medical crisis’s, death, and distance may complicate things even further.
I know.
It is with this in mind that I came to my computer after hearing the song My Wish, by Rascal Flatts.
I hope that the days come easy and the moments pass slow,
And each road leads you where you want to go,
And if you’re faced with a choice, and you have to choose,
I hope you choose the one that means the most to you.
And if one door opens to another door closed,
I hope you keep on walkin’ till you find the window,
If it’s cold outside, show the world the warmth of your smile,But more than anything, more than anything,
My wish, for you, is that this life becomes all that you want it to,
Your dreams stay big, and your worries stay small,
You never need to carry more than you can hold,
And while you’re out there getting where you’re getting to,
I hope you know somebody loves you, and wants the same things too,
Yeah, this, is my wish.I hope you never look back, but ya never forget,
All the ones who love you, in the place you left,
I hope you always forgive, and you never regret,
And you help somebody every chance you get,
Oh, you find God’s grace, in every mistake,
And you always give more than you take.But more than anything, yeah, and more than anything,
My wish, for you, is that this life becomes all that you want it to,
Your dreams stay big, and your worries stay small,
You never need to carry more than you can hold,
And while you’re out there getting where you’re getting to,
I hope you know somebody loves you, and wants the same things too,
Yeah, this, is my wish.My wish, for you, is that this life becomes all that you want it to,
Your dreams stay big, and your worries stay small,
You never need to carry more than you can hold,
And while you’re out there getting where you’re getting to,
I hope you know somebody loves you, and wants the same things too,
Yeah, this, is my wish.This is my wish
I hope you know somebody loves you
May all your dreams stay big
May your heart be warm. May your belly be filled with laughter. May you obtain all your dreams of life in Canada. May you be blessed continually.
And may you know you have a friend in me, a friend who is keeping the candle burning in the window so that you can find your path, even in the darkness.
Sincerely,
Kim
P.S. If you like this song, please buy it from iTunes so the artists get paid what they are worth, for creating such a beautiful, inspiring and hope filled song. Then play it as often.
Dear Kim 
Dear Kim,
As always, I say it again this time: you were born to write.You realy were!How I love to read your comments everywhere you write them. It’s like when I”m feeling very thirsty and I don’t let the glass with water from my lips, until I’ll finish it all. This is the way I read your comments all the time.Thank you. Thank you for being you, the way you are! Thank you for feeling our hearts with your words.
I was so moved when I’ve read your Christmas letter that my tears just began to fall on my cheeks. Thanks Kim for writing it.
May you be rewarded from above, from where all the good and righteous things come.
I wish you merry and sunny days on a “calm ocean”, all year around!
Dia
Dia,
The greatest gift is meeting so many wonderful people like you who inspire me, and touch me so very deeply. When I write I think of you, S,A,K,I,M,J (IENs you have met through CELBANPrep) and so many other IENs that I have met previously.
Thank you for your prayers, they are so welcome. Thank you for your blessings, for the more I receive the more I can give, the more I can do, the more support resources and encouragement I can provide.
Thank you for the wish for a “calm ocean” all year round. As you know this has double meaning for me, and it is what I need more than anything so that I can continue to do what I do.
If you had tears, it is because these are my wished for you, Dia. If you had tears, it is because you allow our communication to be heart to heart and spirit to spirit. If you had tears, it is because you know these are not just words I write, but an expression from the core of my being. I thank you for knowing that, and knowing me!
Sincerely,
Kim
Dear S,
Thank you for writing me to tell me about the impact of my Christmas letter. It moves me very deeply to know that my words went from my heart to your heart, my spirit to your spirit.
There are so many reasons for holidays and celebrations to bring feelings other than the joy of festivities. Yet, how often are these other feelings talked about? How often are they acknowledged? And how many people suffer through missed loved ones? Does this not make the pain and suffering worse?
You are not alone; you were not alone; there many other people feeling as you did. Whether from death, illness, migration, separation or divorce (despite all the activity at the airports) there were people around the world missing loved ones.
What a bitter sweet thought, the depth of pain we feel is a reflection of the depth of love we feel. How fortunate to know such love!
Your parents, aged as they are, do need you. But they need you to give them a reason to live, a reason to feel joy, a reason to celebrate, a reason to know that their sacrifices were for a good reason. It is at an elderly age that people start living through the lives of their loved ones. They welcome the stories of struggles, listening with the wisdom of time, knowing the struggle will be overcome and there will be triumph! And they wait patiently, until it comes, so that they feel deep joy and satisfaction for being alive and knowing that they have made a difference in the world through their children. Yes, your financial support is helpful. Yes, if you were there you would be able to take care of them physically. Your temporal support is invaluable. But, it is the emotional and spiritual uplifting of watching you grow and experience life that gets them out of bed each morning, and brings a lips not only to their lips, but also to their eyes. In this way, they can go to sleep with a smile on their face, even if they too are worried about you.
If reading your letter impacted me (a perfect stranger) as much as it did, I can only imagine how your words of faith would be inspirational to them. Life is not only about the good times and the good days, but it is about how we endure, how we cope, how we go on with our lives. That is when we learn about our character, our values, our abilities.
I am not where I am because my life was easy. I am where I am because of how those experiences formed me, guided me and taught me. Momentary set backs have happened. But I lived through each and every one of them, and I am still living today. So, my purpose and my mission here on earth has not been completed. Until that day I hope and pray that God will continue to use me as an instrument to use my head, my hands, my heart and my spirit to make this world a better place for His children.
That is why reading your message touched me so deeply, because it was a confirmation that in writing from a place deep within: I did His work. I am so grateful that He inspired me to create CELBANPrep as a way into the lives and hearts of so many people around the world, especially and including you. He knew you were suffering. He wanted you to feel relief. He wanted you to feel motivated. And so it was. It is to Him that your gratitude is well places. I was only His messenger.
Simply,
Kim
Hello Miss Kim…
I just read this letter right now and it was so thoughtful of you! Thank you for this lovely letter sent during the holiday.Even though i just read it now, i was really touched on how you were able to know my real aspiration and dream. I did missed my parents so much during the holiday. I even spent the New Year crying thinking on how can i be on this position of being so far away from them knowing that they are aged and they need me. I know it was not good to start the year that way but i was really so down these previous days. But once again, i knew i had to help myself that no one will if i wont. Such reason motivated me that i should change for the better. I thank the Lord that i am motivated now and i keep praying that he will help me help myself maintain the flame burning. Once again. thank you Miss Kim for giving me another chance. I am acting now no matter what the obstacles in the way are…
S
i love the song… thank you!
You are so welcome, Sheila. I love it too. Just thinking of it I can hear it in my head! Thanks for commenting!
Kim