What is Christmas?

For too many years we have listened to the Christmas commercial hype telling us we must have this, or must do that to have the perfect Christmas. But Christmas isn't about material things. Putting aside for just a moment the reason behind Christmas, Jesus birth, the holiday is about spending time with loved ones; family and friends who care about you. It's about the imperfections that make us laugh and cling to each other when all we want to do is give up, or cry. Christmas is a celebration of our support groups in life. The acknowledgment of the love we give and get everyday. So what are you doing for Christmas this year? Are you rushing around trying to make everyone else's Christmas special, or are you taking time to be with them and create Christmas memories?

Remember the times when you made Christmas cookies, played with wrapping paper, sang to your children at bedtime, gave and received hugs with relatives and opened your heart to the possibilities in life. Don't give up on the joy behind Christmas just because the wallet has more room than usual. Teach the young to make things, to visit neighbors and family; encourage traditional love. The best thing about Christmas is the feeling of being loved by someone else.

So is Christmas in the wrapping paper, the bows, the gifts? Or is Christmas in the arms that hold those gifts? My favorite memories were the ones when we as a family tried over and over again to get the Christmas picture right; often with lots of wonderful mistakes! I hold on to those memories like gold. To me that is what makes Christmas.

What do you believe?

I have begun to think the world is always waiting for someone to apologize for things it did or might have done. Always waiting for compensation for the destruction that the evil of this world has ravaged. The problem with a world view like that is people forget it is often an individual or small group who owes the apology and not the larger masses. What I'm trying to say is that it all begins with one person stepping up and saying something. Then that person gets someone to listen to them who then may or may not agree. It escalates from there until it either is resolved or snuffed out. Evil things have been done by individuals with the help of those who they were able to convince. Hitler, Mao and Stalin to name a few (who combined were responsible for more than 94 million deaths).


This pattern works for good individuals too, but often we don't hear their names as much as we hear the bad ones. People like Sister Theresa, Abraham Lincoln, Jim Henson, Helen Keller, Mahatma Ghandi, Albert Einstein, and Louis Pasteur made their mark on the world while trying not to harm it or those who live on it. There is a lot to be said about those who choose to create over those who choose to destroy or bring chaos. They are the foundation of what human kind considers the most valuable. Good vs Evil.

I thank God that there are more good people then there are bad ones. I stand up right now and yell it to the mountains and all who can hear me...
I believe in Love, Peace, Hope, Compassion and Mercy! I believe in myself and my heart's ability to keep me in line! I believe in you, and your ability to become more than you are! I believe that there is nothing more valuable than the ability to trust and love one another!
I believe in holding babies close and breathing deep. I believe in sitting on the porch on a summer day drinking iced tea with your family and laughing at life's little ironies. I believe in telling those you care about that you love them. I believe in driving down the road and singing along with a happy tune. I believe in taking time to listen to your fellow man (or woman) and interacting with them on a personal level. I believe in giving a damn. I believe this so strongly that I will never waiver from this, nor will I ask another human being to do so. I believe. Do you?

One Kind Word Can Change The World

Everyone has had a bad day.  One where one thing after another goes wrong.  Where the weather, children, coworkers and pets seem to be plotting to make sure your day continues on a downward spiral.  Sometimes all it takes to turn your world around is one kind word.  Someone takes a moment to smile at you, or compliment you and suddenly everything is back to being alright.

You could argue that it is all about perception, and you would be right.  What it really boils down to is a feeling of approval that counteracts a sense of being out of control.  Frustration melts away into a sense of balance and acceptance.  It lightens the perception of a heavy load.

Can this be achieved by an individual without the help of another?  Tentatively I say yes because I see evidence of this in naturally happy upbeat people.  Don't get me wrong, they have their bad days too, but they bring themselves out.  Sometimes by using humor or showing love to another, exhibiting kindness or positive attention you can break down incredibly high and resistive walls in yourself and in others.

Imagine a world where everyone opted to do one nice thing a day to or for someone who obviously was having an 'off' day.  The world wouldn't be perfect, but it sure would seem like a better place to live!

Shortcomings

I wanted to take a month and write about a single topic. Sort of a challenge to myself. But before I could even start writing the first paragraph, things began to fall apart. The renters up and left with only an email notification the day they took off. The rental house needs a lot of repairs (as usual) but with a lot of painting added to the work load. I'm pushing to get it done since now there is a short time limit so it can be ready to rent again.

My hands are dry from the cleaning stuff, and my back hurts from bending over so much. I'm pretty much tired all the time. When did I get so old? I don't remember ever having so many aches and pains. My frustration level is easier to hit and my desire to blow up the house keeps making me imagine an action sequence from a movie. Boom! What? It's gone? Wow, no I have no idea how that happened... (grin). But I would never do it because I'm sensible.

I'm doing everything right. I work hard, eat right, watch my health, and have friends and family whom I love and who love me. However I never feel like I'm getting anywhere and that all my hard work is useless. Worse yet, I'm getting to old to keep up the massive work for much longer. Then I look into the eyes of my guy and I realize that it's going to be ok. Thank God for him, otherwise I'd be sitting in the dark watching TV, crying and eating lots of fattening food.

I find as I get older all I want to do is simplify my life. Except for him... I want more of him than I have ever wanted of anything in my life. So once again my shortcomings are keeping me from my goal. But I am happy to say that as shortcomings go, he's an awesome one!

So here's to writing, working, loving and living. May your shortcomings bring you some happiness!

You Better Get You Some Higher Education!

What is Higher Education? Well, that term is easy to define. Getting more education than you currently have achieved. Since this is the case, then we are all working to achieve higher education. If you think about it, there are so many ways to be an educated person in today's society. You can be socially educated, legally educated, naturally educated, or even earn a life education.

Personally I feel like life education is enhanced by fundamental education (school). Although natural education (learning by example) is also a huge part of what makes us educated people.  I don't believe there are uneducated people out there anymore. Every person who is exposed to the world earns an education of some kind. It may not be a good one, but it is knowledge and experience. The true character of a person is defined by how they take and use that education.

The underprivileged individual is only held in check by their ability to use the knowledge they have achieved. That is a direct result of this amazing country in which we live. No one is left in a status or level they can't get out of with some effort. You are only limited by the limits you place on yourself. Look at these self educated people (called autodidactic) who made it in a big way. Abraham Lincoln was a self educated lawyer. Bill Gates was a college drop out. Andrew Carnegie was one of the best known men of industrialization and he never went to school. Famous author Arthur C Clark never went to college. Walter Cronkite, one of America's best beloved journalists and long time CBS anchor dropped out of college. Charles Dickens never got to finish his childhood schooling.

Arguably these individuals took on life education and made it work. What makes it even better is that they had support. People who cared about what happened to them, giving encouragement from time to time. By far my favorite self educated person was Thomas Alva Edison. His teachers thought him unteachable. So his mother taught him at home during his early years. He went on to produce such wonderful inventions as electric light and early recording technologies.

So my point? No one is without opportunity and he/she who has support can conquer the world.