Time is the most precious gift.

A Christmas reflection by Rósa Guðbjartsdóttir, Mayor of Hafnarfjörður

Time is the most precious gift.

The Christmas season is upon us soon, as Christmas Eve arrives on the fourth Sunday of Advent. We light the fourth candle, warm ourselves by the beautiful lights and hold the hope in our hearts of a peaceful and beautiful Christmas time ahead, in the company of our loved ones. This is Christmas. Christmas is a feeling, Christmas is love and warmth, Christmas is peace in our hearts, and Christmas is memories of times gone by. And at Christmas, we are filled with gratitude. We give thanks for life, for the time we are given, for all those who surround us with love and care, and for all those we have had in our lives who are now gone. We give thanks for the memories that bring warmth and joy.

Altruism in its most beautiful form

The community in Hafnarfjörður responded beautifully when a tragic accident occurred in the town a few weeks ago. The warmth and sympathy shown to the family who lost their young son was extraordinary. The image of the boy's mother, who stood up at a memorial service in Ásvallur a few days after the accident, is a powerful and moving one; she gave thanks for her son's life and for having been his mother, even though his time on Earth had been only eight years. And she thanked them for the compassion they experienced from our wonderful community. Such empathy provided her and her family with invaluable strength and support in their indescribably deep grief. It is a beautiful and good community that responds in such a way in the most difficult of circumstances.

Let's give time

That's precisely the thing about time. It's all we have and all that matters. What good is all the worldly wealth if we have no time; time to nurture and care for our people; time to be? We all come into this life empty-handed and leave the same way when our time on Earth is over. How we spend our time, what we give of ourselves, how we treat ourselves and others, and what we have contributed. Time is the very best gift we give, and we do not know in advance when it will run out.

The Christmas lights are gentle and beautiful

The Christmas town of Hafnarfjörður has shone brighter than ever before in the run-up to the Christmas festivities. It brings joy to our minds and hearts to enjoy the beautiful lights and decorations outdoors, such as in our Hellisgerði Park, which celebrated its centenary this year. The gentle lights, their beauty and the brightness they cast promise brighter days; reminding us that the sun will rise higher in the sky and that we can look forward to a new year full of exciting opportunities.

I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Rósa Guðbjartsdóttir
Mayor of Hafnarfjörður