Looking Back and Forth

I've finally gotten to the point in the holiday festivities where I read the Christmas cards we received (and exchanged) with others. Again this year, as a continuation of the 'Gee, You are an Obliviot' portion of the season, I not only sent no one any cards, I have no idea what the cards looked like that my wife sent on our behalf. 

I used to get angry at Christmas, not at the Savior (I'm crazy; not stupid), and smelled hypocrisy in every greeting card, fruitcake, and holiday cookie. After all, I reasoned (or thought I did) many of these came from people who, the rest of the year would cross the street rather than say hello to me as we passed. But as I've rusted (not mellowed) I've started to see a kind gesture of remembrance as just that and have stopped answering with (a rude) one of my own.

It's not that life is too short, though I found out this year that can certainly be the case--but because life is too important to not enjoy ALL of it, the hopes and the hype, the dreams, and the dread. All of those make our lives singular and remarkable within our families, our places of work, our neighborhoods, our cities and towns, and these United States (with my apologies to Our Town). 

The trials and travails of 2024 will be here in a matter of hours, and in some spots on this orb, that year has already begun, so forgive me if I encourage you to linger for a moment in the Here and Now, not to look at where we were this time last year and where we are today, but to simply celebrate today and tonight for what it is and we are. After all, it's the same procedure as every year, James. Hurrah! Wir leben noch.
-bill kenny