Friday, December 22, 2006

Christening

A lot of people talk about some sort of true meaning of Christmas, as though where it comes from has any sort of significant impact on the now. What is the significance of celebrating a day over and over again? How important is ANY holiday? I've found that culturally the holidays are extremely important as the exchange of product among people IS a foundation for an economy. It's amazing how much work that is for people to enjoy their leisure to such an extreme extent, and that work DOES translate into real world product of sorts.

But emotionally? Spiritually? Is there edification to be had for the mortal soul in such gross indulgences? Am I in effect a better perfect for helping the world around me thrive, or is there a principle difference where I am in fact better off for denouncing the excess that would make the community I live in and the country I am citizen of thrive? Is it excess to be the financial drive for someone with a dream, a dream to do nothing more in life than to dedicate the whole of their time to the creation of a fine candle, an item that would at first glance seem no more important to feeding a mouth than a pebble in a garden?

To be fair, Christmas, at one point in time, was a religious holiday, but that it is no longer a religious holiday, it boggles my mind that people get offended so much over the greeting or well wishing that comes with it. Is it somehow wrong that it no longer holds as much religious significance? I don't think so, I have to admit I am strictly in favor of anything that encourages the strong generosity and warmth of heart that a properly celebrated brings to each individual, and that is not tied to religion. I don't really care why the church picked December 25th, I'm told it is because it was a pagan holiday. I don't care why they picked that date, but the 25th is almost always cold, even in Texas, and during the coldest of the year there is no better time for warmth of any kind.

In short, I'm perplexed by the habits I've been trained with, holidays and the like, and why I celebrate them instead of simply working. Do I do the world justice by taking holiday instead of producing? It calls into question greater meanings of purpose, man given, and meaning. I have a lot to think about today, and tomorrow, but Sunday, when Sunday comes my course of action will be chosen, and I will follow that course wholeheartedly without question, because there is a time for questions, and a time for answers, and if you mix the two then there is no happiness.

Kids Need a Stable Home