So many people say they Dont have the Christmas Spirit. Understandable. Madness prevails in every corner. Our nation is divided unjustly by the very people we have elected to lead us, aided by an industry we trust to deliver us news. Instead, they foment fear and offer us refuge in hate. Corporations want us to spend money, but we cant because those same corporations have shipped our jobs to other countries, or given them to Non-citizen workers who agree to penurious wages. People go to their churches, and leave with firm faith in God professing it loudly, but seem to forget (or ignore) the teachings of their prophet. Is anyone else but me disgusted the season starts with Black Friday centered around how much money you can spend? I thought the seasons colors were Red and Green. I thought the season was about Love, and Comfort, and Warmth. I thought the season was about Hope for the New Year, and rememberence of the good times of the past year. I thought it was the season where you throw a little caution to the wind and eat a little more, drink a little more, and in a dignified manner indulge your family, your friends, and without guilt, yourself. I thought it was a season where you give, not take. I thought it was a season where you examine the dark parts of your heart and soul and forgive, work it out, and compromise. I thought you decorated your residence to celebrate it as your sanctuary, your fortress, your home-and not to impress the neightbors. Or choose to not decorate it at all with lights and wreathes, doing it in your heart and soul. Ive been a notorious Scrooge for many years, disgusted by the commerciality. Disgusted by hypocrites who flaunt their Christianity but dont live by Christs teachings. Nauseated of knowing there are people who complain about the gifts (or lack of gifts) given to them. Sick at heart of phony niceness-the less said of which the better. Crushed by the spirit of Whats In It For Me? Mind you, this Scroogedom is not a result of my family, nor are they the victim of it. My disgust is borne of the world at large outside of my front door. When I was a kid, Christmas started on Dec 6th, St. Nicholas Day. I would wake up and in my room would be the stocking I had set out the night before, now crammed with candy (and usually a few dollars) there would also be some modest, but cool toys there, too. My Mother would burn Balsam Pine Incense, and bake spritz cookies. Wed have a little party in School, and even the mean teachers would be nice. (the lesson here is that they werent really mean, they were teaching discipline). Things loosened up. Family would come over. Id conspire with each of my Parents as to what to get the other, and beg a ride to the store to get it. And when Christmas Eve came, I opened my presents and loved them all. And you know what? So did all the other kids I knew. I cant ever remember our house being as warm and comfortable as it was during Christmas. Stay with me here. One of my favorite movies is The Shoes Of The Fisherman. Theres a hokey love story subplot that I could have done without, but there is a sublime moment in it. The basic story of the movie is about a Russian political prisoner, a Priest, who is elected Pope. In one of the chapters, The Pope feels cloistered and walks the streets of Rome in disguise. He comes upon the scorned woman of the subplot to find her distressed. She tells the Pope she has Lost the Love for the Man in her life, and knows not what to do. The Pope counsels her: If you have lost your love, try to remember where you saw it last-perhaps you will find it again. Thats some wise shit, right there. So if youve lost the Christmas spirit, try to remember when you had it last.You might find it was strongest when you had only a dollar to spend on your Mom, and a Dollar to spend on your Dad, but you thought long and hard about what would make them the happiest. And it always did, didnt it? Maybe it wasnt the dollar, but the thought long and hard about it. Yes. No maybes about it...
Posted on: Tue, 23 Dec 2014 14:14:37 +0000
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