Merry Christmas





   Yesterday a man wished my staff and me a Merry Christmas. Then he hung his head a little and apologized for doing so. Earlier in the day he had wished another person Merry Christmas and received in return a short lecture on how he was being offensive and insensitive. I felt bad for him. He was not trying to be either. In fact he was trying to spread a little good will, something in very short supply these days. I cheerfully responded by saying, "Merry Christmas to you too" with a smile.
  I'm all for being more sensitive to those of other cultures faiths etc. I think sometimes we take this just a little too far.
  For the record, I do wish my customers Happy Holidays. I do this because my customers are a diverse group of people. I have no way of knowing what holiday any given customer may be celebrating at this time of year. It is not because I'm ashamed of being a Christian. I don't believe that by saying "Happy Holidays", I am participating in a war against Christmas or Christianity.
  Of the holidays that I know are celebrated at this time of year, they all stress kindness toward others. I think this is something we need to remember. When I was younger I celebrated Christmas only socially. For awhile I celebrated Yule or Solstice. If anyone ever wished me a Merry Christmas during these times in my life, I didn't not explain to them that I didn't celebrate this holiday. I didn't yell at them for being dismissive of my beliefs. I understood that they were trying, in thier own way, to wish me happiness at this season and would respond by wishing a Merry Christmas to them as well.
  This is a season for joy, happiness and good will toward others. Let's remember that it is the thought that counts. If someone wishes you a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Happy New Year, Happy Hanukkah, Blessed  Yule, Happy Festivus or greeting from any holiday celebrated at this time of year, remember that they are trying to wish you something good and respond to the spirit of that wish in kind.
  Let's make this season one of goodwill toward all.
 
 Sophie,C,Colby and Scamp

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Simple Things

     C and I usually have a date day or at least part of a date day once a week. It's a time where we spend time with each other doing something fun or maybe simply having lunch out. Since Thursday was Thanksgiving and neither of us felt like eating out, we decided to go out for a hot chocolate.   Right before we left C had an idea. We should get our hot chocolate and also share a peppermint shake from Chick-fil-A. He said the the combination of the hot chocolate and the cool peppermint shake would be really good. I thought it was overkill, but agreed to do it.    After dropping a loaf of bread off at a friend's house we went through the drive through to get the hot chocolate. When I have a choice I usually get dark chocolate. It's not quite as sweet and has lots of flavour. C always gets milk chocolate. Then we went to Chick-fil-A. C went inside and picked up our preordered shake. It was topped with whipped cream and a cherry. I asked C if he wanted to cherry. He said no s
Read more

Released

   A few weeks ago I was asked to stay after a Ward Council meeting. Normally it's a meeting I don't attend, but the Relief Society president was out of town and one of my duties was to sit in for her on such meetings. I was fairly sure I knew what it was going to be about.     After the meeting I stayed behind while everyone had left. It was just me and one of the bishop's counselors. We sat in some chairs at one side of the bishop's office. He told me that I was going to be released from my calling as a Relief Society counselor. The release was going to be announced at Sacrament meeting (what the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints call their worship service.) that would take place in about 20 minutes. I'm sure I startled the counselor with my expression of joy and relief at what he told me. I'm sure he was expecting me to be upset and bewildered. Usually one knows about a release at least a few days before it happens.     I had a feeling that this was
Read more

Looking for A New Project

           Earlier this year I finished the 10 stitch blanket that I've been working on for a long time. It was a very relaxing project and I enjoyed working on it. Over the summer I haven't knit anything because of lack of time. Now it's fall and I have the itch to start knitting again. I also want a project to take to Door County with me.     I know that I said I wanted to knit a pair of socks, but I'm not sure now. I'd have to teach myself how to knit using a magic loop. I'm sure I could figure it out, but I'd  really like to do something easy and relaxing like that blanket was.     One project I was going to do is to crochet all the granny squares I have together to make a nice little blanket for Willow. It would be fun and relaxing, but it would be hard to take all those granny squares to Door County with me. The same is true for the sample blanket that I want to start. (although I could take a few small balls of yarn along and some stitch patterns to m
Read more