The Holdiay Season

For years now, I have been filled this time of an overwhelming need to be cheerful and to spend. It seems wrong. It seems like we are programed to spend our savings on gifts for our friends and family. It seems as if we can manifest a value of appreciation for someone by designating it with a random item they’ve lusted for, for the past year.

   This year has been very taxing for me and for the second time in my life I have no family or friends to spend it with. I have started to notice, now, that the meaning of Christmas has become “SPEND YOUR MONEY AT PLACES YOU WORK!” instead of “Goodwill and Joy to your Fellow Man.” I remember being raised to celebrate Jesus’ birthday on Christmas and that Chanukah was the festival of lights. I later came to learn that Christmas had been a variation of the Yuletide to convert Non-Christians. So why have we lost the love for each other?

   I don’t know if I am weird for feeling this way or if I am crazy but why can’t we just celebrate the fact that we lived through one more year; and that with all the stress we have gone through together, we are still together? (metaphorically speaking)

Someone asked me a few weeks ago which I would rather have all of Bill Gate’s money or World Peace. I sat back for a few moments and pondered both sides for a moment. After a few seconds I asked not for World Peace; I wouldn’t want to live in a world where everyone lived in perfect harmony and never quarreled. I would want World Contentment though. I would want to live in a where sure we fought and squabbled; arguing and competition lead for new thoughts and concepts. It allows us as humans to share our own personal realities with each other and allows us to find our own strengths and weaknesses.

I would want to live in a world where at the end of the day people didn’t have to go hungry  because we learned to consume modestly. We, as Americans, wouldn’t feel the need to gobble down a triple cheeseburger, large French Fries, and a 64oz Diet Coke. We as people would understand that it isn’t about consumption but conservation and that conserved food could be shared to feed those who needed it.

I have no family this year, and I won’t be able to spend it with friends. So please if you read this grant me my one holiday wish:

Be happy with what you are given. Even if that new Iphone is white and you wanted black; there are others who didn’t have someone who cared about them to offer a gift like that. If you didn’t get what you wanted, don’t be upset; there are others who didn’t get anything this year. If you spend it with family, celebrate the holidays with love that extend further than gift giving. The best gift is the happy memories you will take with you.

For those who have a happy and joyous Holiday season Drive Safe and enjoy the New Year.