I love Christmas in Silverton. The new lights decorating the downtown trees are beautiful, the tree lighting on First Friday was wonderful as were the smiles on a few thousand celebrants, and there is a crispness in the air that suggests winter and the holidays are here.
It is too easy to speak ill or dejectedly of what is happening in the world today – locally with potential outside smoking bans and the impact of growth; statewide with the proposed reduction of “monuments’ in our gorgeous forests and another “perpetual” election cycle looming; nationally with politics, sexual misconduct, and partisanship in its worst shape ever; and internationally with North Korea posturing as if they are a global and military power and a proposal to move the capital of Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
But let’s forget that for a moment. Just for the holidays, however you recognize them. We celebrate the birth of Christ in our family. You may celebrate the Winter Solstice, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, or a break from school. It doesn’t matter, really, because we have free will.
What matters is we share a common bond in our humanity. We have more in common than we have differences. Let’s take a breath and leave partisan politics behind. Let’s recognize that we all breathe, need sleep to rejuvenate and to keep from being cranky, eat and drink to survive, love our family and friends, try to recognize the good in people and try to give back a part of ourselves for the greater good. Let’s take a chill pill and turn the other cheek for an ever so brief moment when someone from “the other side” castigates a member of your party. Try not to say, “Well, but what about…” Let’s forget that some powerful people have been taken down for misusing their status and office and that every other day brings a new revelation of another man “biting the dust” for being a creep. Let’s remember that women with guts have come forward and said, “Enough is enough” and that the “#MeToo” campaign is only the tip of the iceberg.
Let’s enjoy peace. Let’s create calm. Let’s enjoy time with family, friends, or time alone, whatever floats your boat, and look for the good in others. Say thank you to someone who does or did something nice. Buy the person behind you a latte, no strings attached. Let’s kiss our babies, hug our pets, or blow ourselves a kiss in the mirror, proclaiming, “You are a good person. I like you.” Let’s make peace and put chaos, anger, and recrimination on hiatus, if even for a little while.
We need the respite.
I wish you peace this joyous season.
