I had forgotten about the story of the Christmas Truce of 1914 until I read about it again recently. Whether of not you celebrate Christmas, the message of the story applies to all.
It is a story of a most extraordinary event which took place in the middle of a blood-drenched battlefield! Two opposing nations, putting a halt to their war for a more important cause.
The Christmas Truce of 1914
At the first light of dawn on Christmas Day, some German soldiers emerged from their trenches and approached the Allied lines across no-man’s-land, calling out “Merry Christmas” in their enemies’ native tongues. At first, the Allied soldiers feared it was a trick, but seeing the Germans unarmed they climbed out of their trenches and shook hands with the enemy soldiers. The men exchanged presents of cigarettes and plum puddings and sang carols and songs. There was even a documented case of soldiers from opposing sides playing a good-natured game of soccer.
Some soldiers used this short-lived ceasefire for a more somber task: the retrieval of the bodies of fellow combatants who had fallen within the no-man’s land between the lines.
Who do you need to make peace with this season? Have you been engaged in your own personal battle that is extracting every energy that you have? Get inspired with the lesson of the Christmas Truce and make your own truce with yourself.
Our lives can get pretty hectic and it can be easy to get lost in our actions. When we are so focused on what is ahead, we forget to pause, reflect and find ways to energize our minds. These 5-minute motivation posts are meant to give you that recharge. The goal is to give you a 5-minute Vitamin for your mind through quotes, posts and videos. It is also meant to challenge your thinking and inspire you to take action.