The Other Side of Christmas
Religious
festivals are, among other things, about thinking of others and not taking all
we have in life for granted since, there but for good fortune, go you and I...
For those
men and women (some of them gay) fighting wherever there is conflict for a better,
kinder, world, may the future hold some
real progress in that direction. As for the politicians who send them there, let’s
hope they won’t lose sight of those finer aims either, in spite of being
preoccupied, as they invariably are, with their own personal standing on the
world stage. Nor should we forget loved ones left behind while those in the
thick of war risk their lives on a daily basis.
Many
fight another war, this time on the Home Front; against poverty, prejudice,
loneliness, depression, rejection, unemployment…
I recall, some years ago now, sympathising with a elderly neighbour who had fallen on hard times after a company in which he had been a major shareholder collapsed. " A bad business," he agreed, "but it's as the wife says, so long as we have family and [or]friends we care about and who care about us, who needs shares in anything else?" At the time, it struck me as a rather trite comment, a way of saving face perhaps. In my 70's now, I often contemplate the wisdom of those words, and cherish the sense of well-being with which they never fail to fill me.
I recall, some years ago now, sympathising with a elderly neighbour who had fallen on hard times after a company in which he had been a major shareholder collapsed. " A bad business," he agreed, "but it's as the wife says, so long as we have family and [or]friends we care about and who care about us, who needs shares in anything else?" At the time, it struck me as a rather trite comment, a way of saving face perhaps. In my 70's now, I often contemplate the wisdom of those words, and cherish the sense of well-being with which they never fail to fill me.
Unhappy
people have told me how they hate being told to count their blessings because
they are too few. Maybe they - and more, if not all of us - need to look (and count) again...?
THE OTHER
SIDE OF CHRISTMAS
No
Christmas tree in the window,
no cards
or festive decoration,
no real interest
in some Baby Jesus,
cause of starry-eyed
celebration
As for
listening out for reindeer,
deaf ears
will catch no sound
or bells
ringing out glad tidings
of great
joy to (all?) mankind
No joy in
snowflakes whirling past
like
dervishes on a battlefield
assured
of spoils in this, my city,
by
climate change across the world
As for
taking comfort and delight
in any
religious celebration,
fat
chance, when all its factions
primed
for eternal division…
Nothing
special for Christmas lunch
(but
better than going hungry)
yet I
dare say we’ll survive another
parody of
common humanity
Some
folks struggle, same folks cope
for shares in Love, Guardian of Hope
Copyright
R. N. Taber 2009
Labels: celebrations, Christmas, culture, festivals, hope, human, life, love, mind-body-spirit, nature, peace, poetry, religion, religious, society, spirit, war, winter
posted by R. N. Taber | 08:28
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