Christmas

Christmas. Two thousand years of celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. I find myself depressed. Our celebrations seem so far from what Jesus reportedly said. The basic message of “love one another” has mutated into love of money and power for so long that it is trite to bring it up. I hear very little about love these days. Mostly I hear hate those who are different, or who don’t agree with me. If you dare to suggest that we should love even those who hate us (which I believe was one of Jesus’s main themes) you are called a fool, told that you totally misunderstand the Bible, and that you are in fact a subversive who is a threat to our society.

I am not pure in this. I do my share of hating. I do my share of lying, cheating and stealing to get “ahead”. I drink coffee that costs enough to support a sub-Saharan family for more than a week. I benefit from success in the world of business – a success that gives me the leisure to sit on my ass and critique the world and its problems.

My coffee shop opened a bit later this morning and I did a bit of window-shopping at the store next door. Inside there was a rack of CD’s. I laughed out loud at some of them. The titles reminded me of my days in business conference rooms.

Selling the Invisible – As a former business consultant, I am very familiar with those skills.

What Got You Here, Won’t Get You There – Hopefully, the author has a means of helping you ensure that there is a place worth getting to.

GO Put Your Strengths to Work – I wonder if the author sees kindness with no thought of reward as a strength?

100 Ways To Motivate Yourself – Does reaching out to others count as a valid motivation?

The Healthy Brain – Does the purpose for which I use my brain influence its health as much as diet and exercise?

Never Be Lied To – In my case, trying not to lie, or lying a little bit less, is a big enough challenge.

The Fine Art of Small Talk – Personally, I think I talk too much, and most of my talking is very small indeed.

Secrets of the Millionaire Mind – I wonder if the millionaire mind and the healthy brain are compatible? Does Barney Madoff have a healthy brain? How healthy is Warren Buffet’s brain? What about the brains of Wall Street and the multinational banks?

5 Steps To Successful Living – Wow! This guy has found a way to outdo the twelve steps of recovery programs, the ten commandments of the Judeo-Christians, and the eight-fold path of Gautama.

7 Habits of Highly Effective People – If I only want to be moderately successful can I settle for less than seven?

Unleash the Giant Within – What shall the giant do when it is unleashed? I think the world has enough industrial, financial, religious, and military giants – don’t you?

Okay, okay dear reader. I am ranting once again. I judge and thus am judged by my own judgments and am “hoisted on my own petard”. It is easy enough to criticize the efforts of others. Where is my book on how to live the good life and achieve success? Short answer. There isn’t one. I doubt if there ever will be such a book, or even if there ever should be.

My “success”, or lack of it, is a purely personal affair. If I ever did find a secret to happiness and success I would gladly give it away. Or at least I truly believe I would try. But I know that things change. I know that I am weak and might readily take the place of the authors of the above texts given half a chance. Like them, I probably would continue to want more and more. Like them, I would convince myself that my success was a sign of my having found the one true answer or a mark of supernatural providence’s favor. Like them, I would want to share my “secrets” in order to change the world, and of course, build a nice little trust fund for my progeny along the way. Like them, I probably would simply be human, unable to escape the pride and arrogance inbred into this simple little ape body I inhabit. And yes, like them, some days I might wake up and at least try to do an act of kindness without thought of the consequences or in expectation of reward.

But enough of this empty chatter. These thoughts only weaken my ability to feel in touch with what I hope is the true spirit of the season.

The sun will be shining soon. It will warm my skin, while I relax far from the blizzard-ridden plains of Iowa. I will enjoy this coffee in the name of all those who cannot. I will go to my daughter’s house and make mashed potatoes. I will laugh (or pretend to) when my grandchildren open their presents. I will hug my wife. Somewhere during this flurry of activity I will remember that the only answer to my suffering I know is to try and be a little kinder than I actually feel like being.

I am not a believer in Jesus; at least as a supernatural being laden with the lessons delivered from pulpits. Perhaps he existed. Perhaps he did not. But I can celebrate the message of trying to act with loving kindness. That requires no particular belief or feeling. It only requires action. One can attempt to be kind even if one is a non-believer , is depressed, and often has great difficulty feeling loving and kind. I have witnesses who have told me this is true. Today I will accept their judgment.

Merry Christmas to all. I mean that in the very best way possible. I truly do.