Musings of Christmas 2013

Christmas comes at us with the speed of a jet bomber. We know it is coming. It is scheduled and we can hear it approaching from a great distance but we're not ready. We prepare for its arrival as we furiously make plans, embroil ourselves in a fury of activity to withstand the onslaught. "It will be here before we know it and before we are ready," is our mantra. We know it but we are powerless to stop it, slow it or avoid it.

It comes closer roaring like a combination of tornadic winds, an 18-wheeler without a muffler and the sirens of seven police cars arriving at the scene of a bank robbery. We search for a way of escape but can't find it. We search for a place of quietude and find none. We search for a place of calm tranquility and find none. We believe if we just do more things and add more activity we will enjoy the season more. Intellectually we know this is denial but we soldier on.

The roar is inhuman. Far louder than we are accustomed to hearing. Two sonic booms blast our ears, rattle and break windows, frightening man and beast. A huge bomb explodes with a flurry of activities, frenzied shopping, a meal of bad food at the company holiday party, family gatherings that may or may not be calm and bright, food to fix, crowds to fight then suddenly it is gone. The sounds fade quickly over the horizon. We feel weak, breathless and suffer some post-Christmas depression.

Welleran Poltarness captures what I wish for everyone every Christmas in his writing.

"May this blessing fall on you like a gentle snow. Let your Christmas be savored far in advance of its arrival. May the spirit of the season make your quest for gifts selfless and filled with joy."

"Adornment, reflecting old traditions, shall make your home bright with the loveliness of Christmastide. May winter, in some way, grace your holidays. Let there be a tree bringing into your home the fragrance and power of the earth. May song bless your Christmas and remind us all of the universal harmony which is at the center of creation."

"In the wrapping and adorning of your gifts, let there be the satisfaction that all creative acts offer. On the night before Christmas may you be visited by peace and beneficence and visible presences who enrich you and yours. Let the children teach you and all of us through their freshness and focus, the precious joy to be discovered in this celebration."

"May you feast in good health and comradeship. Let us remember the foundation of this joy -- the fear, the journey, the refuge, the birth, the revelation. When your celebration is over, may you turn in your memory the love, the giving and the receiving."

I wish for you and yours A Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year.

Go to my website Larryvandeventer.com. Larry Vandeventer grew up North of Calvertville on a farm and graduated from Worthington High School and Indiana State U. -- four times. He can be reached at Goosecrick@aol.com or 317-839-7656.