Wednesday, December 7, 2011

This is a essay addressing past and present problems as we celebrate a holiday with the hope and magic of the season, and look forward to a new and better future

HOLIDAY MAGIC

In spite of the economy and all its miseries, as the Holiday Season descends upon us like the first gentle snowfall of winter, we cannot help but be caught up in its magic. A magic instilled within us as children, passed on to future generations; a magic dating back to that most profoundly magical night in Bethlehem almost 2000 years ago. There was hope that year, for a new world and that hope has nurtured us throughout the ensuing centuries with all its horrors and its wonders. It is this same magic, which might be called faith, that will sustain us as we enter a turbulent new year.

The past year has been rough and it's been depressing. The upcoming new year offers little hope of immediate or lasting retrieval. The on-going recession looms constantly over the heads of middle-class Americans even as economic soothsayers insist that it is lifting. The public is not fooled, its members live in the real world, not one created by the number sheets of statisticians. What we need as the holidays approach is a little bit of magic to uplift sagging spirits.

Along with the relentless recession, we are still carrying the problems of the past with us, making some headway, but hardly enough to make a dent in the ills facing society. The homeless, to our great shame, are still homeless. City children are still being killed or maimed by random bullets and drug-related disputes. AIDS continues its merciless assault on young lives in spite of education, free condoms in the school system and safer sexual practices, using different avenues of transmission; for every one step forward, it seems there are two steps backward.

We have made major strides in the fight against cancer, but are no closer to a proven cure, although we are more aware of preventative measures through the adoption of healthier lifestyles.

Most people have been forced to cut back drastically in their spending habits. Food prices are up, but supermarkets thrive because we all have to eat, though not as well as in the past. Food coupons are dated to expire within a shorter time period, as industry tries to seduce the public into buying their products quickly. Yet nobody blames the very rich or the very poor for the recession. The middle-class takes all the heat for the "decadence" of the past decades.

The poor suffer because of the budget cuts slashing essential social services, but the middle class not only bears the brunt of the times, but is the only segment of the population that can reverse the recession by increased spending; and there is no extra money to stimulate a sluggish economy. The middle-class remains financially strapped, with misplaced guilt, yet helpless to make the needed changes.

Politicians are still found to be either corrupt or inept, and sometimes both. A long-lasting recession makes desperate people look for scapegoats. Instead of unleashing their frustrations on the government where it belongs, they tend to turn against minorities; one more flaw in human nature.

The fate of Mother Earth is still in jeopardy, although aware and caring organizations are struggling to institute beneficial changes that will halt the abuse of the planet. It would be prudent to remember that the earth is far more resilient than the humans presently in dominion of her. The world has undergone tumultuous changes throughout the ages and while we prefer not to think of it, the most endangered species is humanity.

The year has not been all bad. Freedom and democracy are rippling across the world like the waves of a stone tossed into a still lake. Most Americans are aware today that democracy and capitalism is a double-edged sword and can be used for both good and greed. Other nations embracing it are expecting it to be the panacea for their economic ills, a miracle cure, but possibly a false hope. Capitalism, given free reign by democracy can be manipulated and abused far more than despotism. History suggests that humanity has not yet reached the heights that freedom offers, yet succumbs easily to its pitfalls. In the biblical story of Eden, when Eve bit into the forbidden fruit, what she tasted was freedom and it was bittersweet.

Still freedom gives us the options of choice. All men are not created equal. Watch a cocaine-addicted or fetal-alcohol-syndrome baby if you doubt this. What is equal is the human capacity to rise above genetic annihilation tendencies and challenge the problems of a troubled society. If middle-class Americans are going to be blamed for the country's financial woes, then it is the obligation of that segment of the population to demand change and settle for nothing less.

During this Holiday Season, some of us may have less material things; a smaller turkey, batches of cookies that won't last until spring, and presents given with more feeling than material worth; which is what the holidays are supposed to be about. It is a time to gather with friends and loved ones, thankful to be together, mourning those we may have lost; a time to contemplate that most precious commodity, love, and consider how we might apply it to a shaky future. The magic of Christmas--thank God it exists, and may we all hold on to a little of it for next year.

Refelections on Christmas

The Christmas season is a time of reflection, at least for me. My family celebrates on Christmas Eve, a night arrayed with mountains of delectible food, piles of presents; the home nearly bulging from the onslaught of four married childfren, one single son, and ten grandchildren, a few relatives and friends. The evening is radiant, from both the holiday decorations and the expectation upon the faces of children who have waited so long for this most blessed of all nights.

The cousins, all close, both in age and love for each other disappear, the young ones to play and the older ones to catch up on with each other's lives. If a home could burst from love and happiness, this one surely would. This family is not a disjointed group, merging only on the most Holy of days--it is one unit, bonded by a love that keeps growing stronger. I like to think that might be what the Christmas spirit is all about. Love, potent, powerful love that makes the trials and losses of life bearable; meaningful as long as the the family remains intact.

Much like the trinity of God, Jesus and the Holy spirit, a family that is separate, yet one, nourishes itself by utilizing love for each other to bolster strength for the challenges of an ever-changing world. Alone, we tend to weaken, together we form a chain of support that withstands even the most brutal losses. Families like ours survive because we have each other.

As I reflect upon the virgin Mary bearing the Christ infant in an animal shed in Bethlehem, I recall my own first birth, bringing life into the world and helping create the first of a new generation. Mothers know, as do I, that it is as close to a God-like creation that any mortal can achieve. Nothing, no accomplishment on earth can ever compare to bringing the first wails of new life into the world.

I gaze upon my children, always missing the one long gone from a drunk driving death, and my grandchildren, who have been told stories of Noelle and her wonderful, albeit shortened life. I feel blessed and blissfully aware that this special night is meant to reinvent that night in Bethlehem that changed the course of the world, saving it from itself. The birth of the Christ-child is the personification of the meaning of our existence. Christmas is a celebration of life and love--not ordinary love, but unconditional love that surpasses all other.

One day, God willing, we will, as a world family, realize this and then there will be peace on earth, good will to all. May it come soon.

Merry Christmas and allow the love of this magical holiday to carry you throughout the coming year.

5 comments:

  1. An article full of wisdom and a reminder of how short life is and worth embracing. Now to add the word "panacea" to my vocabulary for 2012!

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  2. Ah Micki. You have a way of saying so much in the way that you write those words. My head was nodding as my heart and soul connected the points you made relative to our world. As for your reflections on Christmas, I could just imagine the scene at your house with all of your family! Having read, AND THE WHIPPORWILL SANG, I have an up close and personal vision of the bonds of love that are the foundation of your gathered celebration. Happy Holidays to you!

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  3. I loved this so much, I posted it on my blog.

    Have a great holiday.

    Patricia A. Guthrie
    www.paguthrie.blogspot.com

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  4. Great Website,and info.
    I love it
    Carl Carlito

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  5. Micki, saw your note on not liking to blog and not getting any people to your sight, so I just had to come. I'm with you, though. Blogging is akin to a journal or diary, and I never did get into that. Hope you have better luck! I do love your writing.

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