Tis the Season! Which Season? Pick One!

Taking a Moment on This Day to Reflect Back and to Look Ahead

 

Whose Holiday is It?

Some years ago, a certain TV Network hit on a marketing ploy that gave them a lot of marketing juice. Thus the “war on Christmas.” Began. And it returns every year. But not here, not today.

In the land of this blog, we get it that many, many cultural and religious passages are noted by their respective followers. “Happy Holidays” or “Season’s Greetings” simply means the sender is celebrating a special time of year to them and they wish others to have the same experience, whatever framework they choose. Sounds right to me.

Come One, Come All

So whichever of these bells (or combinations thereof) ring true to you, know that I celebrate and share hope with you.

• A Merry Christmas
• A Beautiful Boxing Day
• A Nice Newtonmas
• A Fine Festivus
• A Happy Hannukah
• A Cheerful Chalica
• A Delightful Day of Enlightenment
• A Crackling Good Kwanzaa
• A Joyous Eid
• A More Than Acceptable Advent
• A Spectacular Saturnalia
• A Youthful Yule Festival
• A Satisfying Solstice
• A Wonderful Warrior Day of Honor (Klingon, Major)
• A Special Sadeh      

And others as they are of importance to you. I toast you, your values, and your rituals.

The Year 2020 Brought Some Value of Note

This year has been tough. Let us not forget that for many is has been truly awful, devasting, deadly. Many will need our help, sympathy, and support for a long time. But there are some notes to celebrate:

• Our long national nightmare at the highest level is nearly over. It is careening out of control towards its end but end it will. We are celebrating a return to decency, competence, and civility. Well, most of us are, anyway.
• We have been reminded of what is really important. Health, a minimum level of social and political predictability come to mind. So, too, the reminder of how important friends and family are, along with our ability to see and touch them.
• We relearned the value of our quite heroes: medical workers, delivery people, first responders, grocery workers. People who get little recognition, excessive risk, and pretty minor compensation. Yet they show up every day, all year. They put themselves at risk for the rest of us. Pretty damn special.
• And many of us found the (semi) isolation not all bad. We learned to slow down, contemplate life, live in the moment, appreciate the small joys of life. Not bad, all that.

Going Forward

We lean into the New Year with some hard -earned wisdom by at least some of us.  We have new hope on the medical front and a lot to talk to each other about. Now to figure out how we talk to each other. Harder than it used to be, but as important as ever.

Enjoy your holidays. Rest – mentally, emotionally, physically. Come into the New Year ready to do more, do better, be better. May we all justify the oxygen we consume on this beautiful little planet we are fortunate enough to be entrusted with, for now.

Cheers!

       Bill Clontz

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