Holiday Reflections

My daughter suggests I post more often, my response is, 'when I have time.' Anything I could add to popular notions of how we use our time is, without doubt, the glaringly obvious. So I will not. The only comment I will make is; it is more about how we use time than about how little there is available.

For the one or two readers of this page I hope you had a wonderful Holiday. Do you make new year resolutions? Was Christmas more about the giving than the receiving? Do you look forward to the new year as an opportunity to make yourself and your community better? There will be many articles in the media (whatever your favorite form) about resolutions and the keeping of goals. Did anyone ever tell you setting goals is a bad idea? Most pundits will tell us why we fail in achieving our resolutions and my experience reveals few will tells us how to do a better job of realizing them. There is no harm in trying to reach for the brass ring, but make the steps achievable and measurable. A little dose of self discipline will not hurt. There are plenty of books on the topic. Just go to Powell's web site and search books for "goal setting."

One of my favorite Christmas time activities is to watch any one of the several versions of "A Christmas Carol." Many folks think the 1936 version is the best, my favorites are more modern. In fact my youngest daugther (a high school english teacher) discussed this very topic a few weeks ago. The late George C. Scott delivers a visceral gritty Scrooge and the most recent Patrick Stewart version is truer to Dicken's story. Stewart's classical training in Shakespear is evident in his performance. Both are supported with excellent performances from the various actors in those roles. The production qualities are superior. Although these aspects are interesting conversation the story is more compelling. Dicken's wrote at a time when life was "dirty, bad, nasty, and short." Class divisions were deep in jolly old England. Circumstances in American cities (as they existed then) would have been similar. We see Scrooge's transformation and why it happened. Dickens made it easy for us. What is less plain is the message of Christmas; the gifting of what we have to others. Scrooge hints at it, with the purchase of the turkey and his treatment of Cratchit the day after Christmas. As children we learn Christmas means toys and treats, but somewhere along the line this child learned it also means giving. I am just not very good or prodigious about it. So as the Ghost of Chritmas Present taught Scrooge teach your children it is the giving that is best and always will be the joy of Christmas. Keep this all year long.

For someone who has never been published, maybe my daughters will do it posthumously, I have produced newsletters for a business I owned, written the annual Christmas letter (which amazingly enought many friends and family look forward to receiving) and compose this blog but I wish I could write more. One thing I have not spoken to in this blog, but is available in the other rags mentioned, is service to community. Community means different things but I will provide a few examples. Perhaps it is the little league program your children are involved in, or it your work place, or neighborhood. Maybe it is something larger and grander than any of those. Frequently it is only those people within earshot. Maybe I am anachronistic but it seems language has deteriorated, people are lazy about developing their vocabulary, or our culture encourages the loud and disagreeable. I was walking through The Rack the other day looking for shoes and a young man who appeared well groomed with an attractive wife or girl friend trailing behind, let out a familiar expeletive over some issue about pricing. I did not expect his remark and I mumbled something about kissing his mother with that mouth. I am sure he heard me as instead of apoligizing he hissed another expletive and walked in the other direction. My point is I was in his community, and even though we may have sympathized with his frustration, surely he could have found a better, more interesing, and less vulgar way of expressing himself. This is an example of what I mean by community. His expression, although not the best example of how to leave those around you better than you found them, did make me think about myself as I pass people on the street and my own behavior and how it may be perceived. Is there something different you can do in your community to make it better?

Best wishes for the New Year.