Introspection

Another year has passed… We all went through the Christmas-stress of getting the right present for the right person within our budget, struggling through heavily lit streets crammed with high-spirited but short-fused holiday shoppers.  We all traditionally put up our Christmas trees with high hopes of family reunions, while arguing with spouse and children over the once-again tangled Christmas lights and last years' turkey stuffing. Expectations ran high yet again because we wanted this year's Christmas to be the best, the most memorable ever. So I sincerely hope your holidays have lived up to it…or do I?

No I don't, not really. See, to me it totally depends on what you wished for over the past couple of months.

So, what did you honestly ask for, what were your deepest wishes and thoughts? Were they materialistic, did you wish for expensive new things, were a new computer or beautiful jewelry the only things that occupied your mind? I couldn't care less whether you got it or not cause you see, you loose either way. Or did you maybe pray for personal financial gain, like a winning ticket in the lottery or the jackpot at the casino? Again, I don't give a darn. All it means is that the spirit of Christmas has passed you by, didn't even bother to knock on your door. And that makes you a sad individual. So, no, in that case, I do not sincerely hope you had a good time. If stuffing yourself with expensive food while opening your presents is all you wanted for Christmas then my sincere wish for you is a week in bed with a nasty case of gastro-enteritis due to a faulty lobster and a new computer game with instructions in Chinese only.

I mean honestly now, isn't that what Christmas has become, an over-commercialized celebration of selfishness? And doesn't that bother the crap out of you?

Well, it should. You see, cause a long time ago a child was born and as he grew up he preached to us about love and kindness and forgiving and stuff, and then he died on a cross to prove a point, and I am just guessing that maybe this is not exactly what he meant!

Now, if Christmas has gone to waste, let's see if we can't save the New Year. Herewith, although probably in bed with severe cramps and some serious internal plumbing problems due to said lobster or something else definitely fishy, my wishes for 2010 to all of us are: Sympathy, Empathy and Introspection.

Happy New Year.