Merry Christmas!
I won’t lie I’m not feeling very festive today. As I write this I’m waiting between my morning line up and my 11 o’clock group lesson line-up. You see I’m working today. I’ve recently started working as an adult ski instructor at Telluride, and as with most ski resorts we work on Christmas. It’s kind of weird, it’s my first Christmas I’ve spent away from my family. That means I’ve missed out on those little Christmas traditions I look forward to every year. No Christmas-eve bon-fires at the pueblo in Taos, no coffee and Nova Scotia lox in the morning, no passing around the Santa hat to pick presents, no fire roaring or holiday music. I’m doing my best to keep in the Christmas mood. I’ve been teaching in a Santa hat this week. I’ve been listening to some holiday music. My parents dropped off some presents and my stocking, so this morning I was able to open them. Thanking the specter of my parents for each gift as I opened them. But I guess what I’m really saying is I miss my family. Christmas is about spending time with family and loved ones. And I suppose when you don’t have your family close to you you tend to realize what Christmas is about even more.
I’d better run to work, but I wanted to share another thought quickly. The other day I had a movie night at my place and we watched It’s a Wonderful Life. A beautiful film-one of my all time favorites. But with this year’s economical crisis it really struck a chord with me. In the film the main character, George Bailey a home loans banker, gives selflessly to his community. And at one point even uses his own honey-moon funds to lend the townspeople. It’s a beautiful message, and one that more mortgage companies should pay attention to. Granted it’s a movie, but I don’t think any story like that could be placed in today’s time and be believable. Today not enough people do the right thing, and live selflessly for others. Today we’re all too concerned with ourselves, and our own lives. As the world becomes smaller through communications, the internet, and global media it’s even more imperative that we starts thinking about others, and helping others.
In a past post I mentioned how I didn’t like holidays that evoked certain emotional responses. To me I think Christmas is an except to the rule. In fact I think there should be more holidays where we practice unconditional giving and just plain being nice. And I’m not talking about giving in the commercial sense. I’m talking about giving cheer and spreading warmth. Today as I walked around the resort I wished Merry Christmas to random strangers. Even that little bit of kindness, that small iota of cheer was enough to make me smile inside. I’m not saying you should go out and join the peace core, just be a little nicer and a little more selfless. So today go wish some strangers “Merry Christmas!” Hold a door for someone with a package, offer a hand to that lady walking on that icy sidewalk. DO something nice for a stranger. Christmas is about spending time with family, but it’s also about thinking about giving. It’s about doing something, as tiny as it may be, to make this a kinder, happier, gentler world.
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