a)  What's the best time of the year
    and the worst time?

b)  What can be the best and yet
    the most awful place to be?

c)  Which relationships can bring
    the most joy and pain?

It’s not really a riddle – I am deadly serious. Experiences at this time of the year often bring out the best and worst in human nature.

The answers to the questions posed:
a)  The festive season
b)  With loved ones
c)   Family

Not that I want to state the obvious but I am reminded of the things I hold most dear at this time of the year...along with billions of other people all over the world.  I am amazed by the fact that a symbolic event with dubious origins, history and significance can evoke such collective displays of extreme emotion, ranging from absolute bliss to inconsolable grief.

Does the same phenomenon occur when other significant holidays are celebrated? During Easter, for example?

I return to the original questions in my search for meaning- regarding time, place and relationships.

The basis for all human relationships is the family. It is where we learn how to be, to interact, to co-exist with others. Where we learn how to be human- we are provided with our identity, language, culture, frame of reference.

The rules of engagement in relation to life and living are taught and learnt within the family. It provides role modelling for our relationships with others from loved ones to casual acquaintances.

How sincere are our efforts during the festive season anyway?  We have been programmed to be altruistic, compassionate and gregarious especially for the season. What are we like the rest of the time?  Are we saving it up for a festive outpouring or is it the best we can do?  If it's the best we can do then we're one sad race!

What I'd like to know is why put such effort into one day when it could be shared equally across the whole year or better still perfected over a lifetime?

I'm probably being more provocative than I need to- I don’t think I'm saying anything new.

	I could say that every day should be Christmas- who am I trying to kid?
	I would ask, that we think about our lives, who we hold dear, what makes us happy, and cherish them.
	Don't leave anything to chance, create unique ways to make your feelings clear.
	There is no need to wait for an assigned date...

ACT NOW!  Make the change.

© KrPoet, 2007 (all rights reserved)
See former editorial

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