Holiday Cheer

I have found it difficult to find my center as of late. So much in my life, and in the world around me, seems to have gone awry. Lately, it seems no matter how hard I work, and no matter how hard I try, the water rises faster than I can tread. Even this day, one which means a great deal to the faithful but also means much to those who don’t adhere to any faith or religion – peace on Earth and good will toward men knows no civilized boundary – we find ourselves learning of yet another terrorist attempt on an airline destined for the United States.

In the ramp-up to this holiday, we find ourselves embroiled in a battle over whom to entrust our health care. We find ourselves out of work or underemployed. While we dig out of the snow and bundle up from the cold, we listen to the supposed SmartPower™ explain why we must sacrifice more of what little we have to save the planet from warming. Apparently, it’s a warm snow that is blanketing the nation. Apparently, it is warming that has been frosting my vehicle every morning … in Phoenix.

Amidst cries from us, the people who are slated to pay for all of this nonsense, we are called racists and Nazis. We are assured that we will pay dearly for our dissidence, yet also assured that we will be pleased with the results of this work. While I desperately try to stay afloat financially, I am informed that my cost to do so will necessarily skyrocket.

When I awoke on this Christmas morning, I was despondent. I was unhappy with how little I was able to provide for my family this past year, and how little there was to put under the little tree. I awoke this Christmas morning feeling like a failure. As my wife readied my son for his Christmas morning, I sat in front of my little tree:

I was still a little foggy from just waking up, and was feeling down as I reflected on Christmases past when I was a boy. I was able to awake to a big real tree surrounded by a sea of presents. Then, my son came out and looked upon the small display:

My son’s eyes were filled with wonder. Granted, he has never seen a display the likes of which I recall from my boyhood, and granted he was too young to grasp any of this last year. Just the same, my wife and I were filled with joy as he slowly began to rip the wrapping paper off his newly found treasures, and we basked in his merriment:

Will I find myself working towards a larger display for 2010? Of course. However, I found myself a huge measure of holiday spirit from the simple pleasures of my beautiful boy:

All the treasures of the world, all the tea (and US holdings) in China simply cannot buy the joy brought to me this Christmas day:

My family and I extend our heartfelt wishes of health and prosperity to all who happen upon this humble holiday cheer. Peace on Earth, and good will toward men.