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It was the day before Christmas…
It was a bit under 0 C; there was some snow on the ground.
He had work, lots of work.
We were near the year-end; the few weeks that preceded it and the few months that followed it were the busiest period of the year,
for people working in accounting, among others.
He had lots of serious problems with the landlord of the building he was renting an apartment in.
That man had very, very strong dictatorial leanings; and it was getting worse.
That man had once told him, just like that (concerning what that man was asking, or rather ordering, that he do):
“Do it, that’s all! And don’t ask questions!”
He recently had to send that man a formal notice, consisting of 8 points concerning which he wanted answers, explanations, information.
That man had till Dec. 20 to address, answer the 8 points; he didn’t do so.
As he didn’t do so, legal proceedings might be brought against him without further notice or delay.
Changing the apartment could indeed have proved a good solution, but, because of the current situation, there (few apartments to rent (which meant high rents asked), COVID-19 situation, among others), it was no easy solution at all.
The woman and the little girl living just above him were often making lots of noise (the little girl, in particular; she often made tantrums, shouting, stumping her feet on the wooden floor, etc).
He recently began having problems with his printer.
The problem then seemed somewhat solved (though things were not as they were and there were still some quirks).
A somewhat strange page started appearing when he recently clicked on some links, on some pages; it was probably due
to some malicious software.
A full 4 hours 25 min. scan with a good anti virus, anti malicious software had found nothing special.
This problem still hadn’t been solved.
The monitor of his computer had recently begun to act strange, the background at times rose, at times blue, instead of white;
this might mean it was about to leave him; he still hadn’t found time to do, try anything about this.
The COVID-19 situation (fifth wave) was deteriorating, where he lived, again (as for many other places, around the world),
with the number of new daily infected cases worrisomely going up again (the Omicron variant was probably much to blame);
like the preceding year, only quite restricted Holidays would be allowed; international travel would also be quite restricted again;
not fun at all.
Many countries had already started (the country he lived in, yes) or were considering offering a third dose of a good, approved
anti COVID-19 vaccine to many of their citizens.
Some people (he was one of them) had a problem with that (an important ethical problem):
Many countries had already started (the country he lived in, yes) or were considering doing that,
while there were still many people in the world who hadn’t even received a first dose of a good, approved anti COVID-19 vaccine.
It seemed like the World Health Organization, among others, couldn’t make reasonably sure that this was equitable, ethical, for people around the world, as if it was still sadly the law of the richest, strongest.
We were all in this boat together again, worldwide (COVID-19).
So, what were we doing for others, in this case?
(““Can we uninstall 2020, this version has a virus in it…”
(“Can we unisnstall 2021 too…”)
(…)
With countries and cities getting into lockdowns and lives pulled into a standstill, COVID-19, has made communities stay away /
from each other for survival.
It’s easy to lose your hopes and brood over the negative side effects of any event, especially when as a community we’re battling /
a global pandemic.
For every low, there’s a high and it’s true that even this current scenario has a silver lining to it.
(…) ”
From SurveySparrow, 8 Positive Impacts to look forward to post the COVID-19 pandemic, by Vipin Thomas
““You never want a serious crisis to go to waste.” /
Long before Rahm Emmanuel, Barack Obama’s one time chief of staff, used this expression to refer to the global financial crisis /
of 2008-2009, Winston Churchill had already made it famous in the wake of the Second World War.”
From Americas Quarterly, Looking at the Bright Side: 10 Positive Effects of the Pandemic, by Mauricio Cardenas)
He had had little time to write Christmas cards and to buy gifts.
And, oh, yes, just a detail, he was still single, looking for a good, caring and loving woman, full of humanity/humanness.
It was about 20:00; he stopped working and he decided to go for a walk.
It was snowing a bit; rather quiet, charming, romantic.
He walked for a while, until he got to a park; it was deserted; he sat, there, on a bench.
And he thought.
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OK, OK, where am I, where are we, going, like that?
It’s almost Christmas, in 2021, and, apart from the worrisome COVID-19 situation, serious problems are stewing just about everywhere
in the world: Climate change, tensions between the US and China, between the US and Russia, democracy in peril in the US
and elsewhere in the world, the US about to adopt a mammoth defence budget, Iran taking a maximalist stance at nuclear talks,
the disquieting situation in Afghanistan following the retreat of US armed forces, the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, in the east
of Ukraine, with Russia threatening to invade Ukraine, tensions in South-East Asia, Taiwan, Hong Kong being threatened by China, ongoing conflicts between Palestine and Israel, in Syria (the unrest began in March 2011, as part of the wider 2011 Arab Spring protests), in the Democratic Republic of Congo, in Yemen, Lebanon still in a very difficult situation, most countries now having a record high debt, troublesome inflation in the US and other countries, and the list goes on and on (and I may be forgetting particularly distressing, priority problems).
What’s the meaning of Christmas through it all?
Well, asking ourselves that question is certainly a good first step.
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“Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious /
and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. A feast central to the Christian liturgical year, it is preceded /
by the season of Advent or the Nativity Fast and initiates the season of Christmastide, which historically in the West lasts twelve days /
and culminates on Twelfth Night. Christmas Day is a public holiday in many countries, is celebrated religiously by a majority /
of Christians, as well as culturally by many non-Christians, and forms an integral part of the holiday season organized around it.
The traditional Christmas narrative, the Nativity of Jesus, delineated in the New Testament says that Jesus was born in Bethlehem, in accordance with messianic prophecies. When Joseph and Mary arrived in the city, the inn had no room and so they were offered a stable where the Christ Child was soon born, with angels proclaiming this news to shepherds who then spread the word.
Although the month and date of Jesus' birth are unknown, the church in the early fourth century fixed the date as December 25. /
This corresponds to the date of the winter solstice on the Roman calendar. It is exactly nine months after Annunciation on March 25, /
also the date of the spring equinox. Most Christians celebrate on December 25 in the Gregorian calendar, which has been adopted almost universally in the civil calendars used in countries throughout the world. However, part of the Eastern Christian Churches celebrate Christmas on December 25 of the older Julian calendar, which currently corresponds to January 7 in the Gregorian calendar. /
For Christians, believing that God came into the world in the form of man to atone for the sins of humanity, rather than knowing Jesus' exact birth date, is considered to be the primary purpose in celebrating Christmas.”
From Wikipedia, Christmas
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“The true meaning of Christmas is a phrase that began to appear in the mid-19th century when a shift toward a more secular culture resulted in a national backlash. /
Christians began to see the secularization of the celebration day of the birth of Christ as the shift toward Santa Claus and gift exchanging replaced the celebration of the advent of Christ and giving to the poor and needy without expectation of receiving anything in return. /
The poem A Visit from St. Nicholas (1822) helped popularize the tradition of exchanging gifts, and seasonal Christmas shopping began to assume economic importance. /
Harriet Beecher Stowe criticizes the commercialization in her story "Christmas; or, the Good Fairy". /
An early expression of this sentiment using the phrase of "the true meaning" is found in The American Magazine, vol. 28 (1889):
"to give up one's very self – to think only of others – how to bring the greatest happiness to others – that is the true meaning /
of Christmas."
The phrase is especially associated with Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol (1843), in which an old miser named Ebeneezer Scrooge is taught the true meaning of Christmas by three ghostly visitors who review his past and foretell his future.
The topic was taken up by satirists such as Stan Freberg and Tom Lehrer during the 1950s and eventually by the influential TV special /
A Charlie Brown Christmas, first aired in 1965 and repeated every year since. "That's what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown," says Linus van Pelt, after he recites the Annunciation to the Shepherds from the Bible referring to the birth of Christ. /
Dr. Seuss's How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1957) also illustrates the topic, and was very influential in the form of an animated TV special produced in 1966. /
The phrase and the associated moral became used as a trope in numerous Christmas films since the 1960s.
The phrase found its way into the 2003 Urbi et Orbi address of Pope John Paul II, /
"The crib and the tree: Precious symbols, which hand down in time the true meaning of Christmas!"”
From Wikipedia, True meaning of Christmas
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“Christian values historically refers to values derived from the teachings of Jesus Christ. /
The term has various applications and meanings, and specific definitions can vary widely between denominations, geographical locations and different schools of thought. (…)
Paul
Since the first century, The Bible has summarized Christians values as the Fruit of the Spirit. /
The list, written by the Apostle Paul in his letter to the Galatians includes:
Faithfulness
Gentleness
Goodness
Joy
Kindness
Love
Patience
Peace
Self-control
From Wikipedia, Christian values
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In a short article about the meaning of Christmas, the Orthodox Church of America writes:
"The question, “What does Christmas mean?” has as many answers as people in our society. /
Opportunity for merchants, vacation days for school children, parties and exchange of gifts even for non-Christians, since it has become /
a national holiday even in a nation that forbids official recognition. /
All including Christians, even Orthodox Christians, define the event by their own understanding, and by doing so limit the meaning /
of Christmas. There can be no definition, because the birth of the Son of God transcends every attempt to explain the inexplicable /
or comprehend the incomprehensible. /
We can only thank the Holy Trinity for the nativity of the Messiah and celebrate His life on earth.
Christmas is a mystery, a glorious event in history, the awesome phenomenon when /
“Christ Jesus Who, being in the very nature of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bond-servant and coming in the likeness of men…” (Philippians 2:5). /
The voluntary descent of Jesus Christ from His dignity, thereby relinquishing His divine attributes in becoming human,
expressed by the evangelist John, “The Word became flesh”, can only be explained by the word “love.”
(…)"
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So, apart from Christmas meaning an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 /
as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world, a feast central to the Christian liturgical year,
I guess that the following can be rightly associated with it.
Love your neighbor.
Be good, kind, loving with others.
Love, compassion, respect.
“He who has not Christmas in his heart will never find it under a tree.” Roy L. Smith
“Christmas isn't a season. It's a feeling.” Edna Ferber
“Just remember, the true spirit of Christmas lies in your heart.” The Polar Express
“What is Christmas? It is tenderness for the past, courage for the present, hope for the future.” Agnes M. Pahro
“Christmas is the spirit of giving without a thought of getting. It is happiness because we see joy in people.
It is forgetting self and finding time for others. It is discarding the meaningless and stressing the true values.” Thomas S. Monson
“Christmas is the day that holds all time together.” Alexander Smith
“Christmas is most truly Christmas when we celebrate it by giving the light of love to those who need it most.” Ruth Carter Stapleton
“Christmas is what you will tell me it is for you.” Little me
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Thinking about the meaning of Christmas actually leads us, yes, to think about nothing less than the meaning of life, our philosophy of life.
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A woman and a man are equal, though of course different; they need, complement each other.
"Self-actualization
"What a woman/man can be, she/he must be." This quotation forms the basis of the perceived need for self-actualization. /
This level of need refers to the realization of one's full potential. (..) To understand this level of need, a person must not only succeed /
in the previous needs but master them."
From Wikipedia, Maslow's hierarchy of needs
A woman (a man too) has:
A mind, personality, beliefs, values, interests, tastes, likes (concerning people, activities, things), qualities (traits), talents (scientific, literary and artistic, social, sport), strong and weak points, a past, experience, maturity, an education, achievements, dreams, a heart, soul, body, all of which a partner should appreciate.
Qualities (traits) appreciated:
Goodness, humility, simplicity, openness, honesty, respect, care and love, attention, romance, loyalty/faithfulness, family orientation (valuing children, education, healthcare, family life), communication, consideration, understanding, humanness, ethics, intelligence, reflection, refinement, sensitivity, protection (for a man), support, determination, merit, hard study/work, responsibility, trustworthiness, playfulness, self-actualization, equity, fair play, forgiveness, generosity.
Values appreciated:
Altruism, sharing, team play, culture, reading, exercise, sports, democracy, freedom, independence, peace, human rights, security.
To be a thinker, a free thinker, and a doer.
As much as possible, live and let live.
The importance of listening with empathy.
To value very much quality, more than quantity, substance, more than appearance, superficiality.
Family, parents, sisters and brothers, girlfriend/wife, children, friends are very important; in fact, people should come first.
Money is only important insofar as it helps you to see to the important needs of yourself and of your loved ones, food, clothes, health, education, as it enables you to make educational, cultural trips, as it enables you to help others in the world who are much in need,
in misery.
To be for humanism, not for commercialism, consumerism, materialism.
What's important are people, ideas, what good things money can help you see to, wisdom, happiness, self-actualization, education, health, freedom, peace, ethics, justice, safety, world consciousness (people, orphans, suffering, inequalities, redistribution, sharing), goodness, humanness, affection, warmth, mutual aid, friendship, love.
To see oneself as a citizen of the world.
People, everywhere, to see as sort of our sisters, brothers, older, and younger.
To ask ourselves:
What is the importance of physical beauty, in life?
Could it be important for lovers to first be very good friends?
Today, you're here;
tomorrow, you may be gone;
you can't make up for lost time;
just do it, now, today, this week.
You’re the author of your own life.
Self-care comes first; if you’re not healthy, it’s tough to be happy.
Effort matters more than skill or talent.
"Treat others as you would like others to treat you" Golden Rule
“A/the unexamined life isn't worth living” Socrates
"The woman/man you like, leave her/him free.
If she/he comes back to you, she's/he’s yours.
If she/he doesn't come back to you, she/he may have never been yours in the first place."
By unknown author
"Ask not what a woman can do for you, ask what you can do for a woman."
"Ask not what others in the world can do for you, ask what you can do for others in the world."
Adaptations of a quote by JF Kennedy
You’re never really alone as long as you’re with yourself.
It may not be what you receive from others that's important, but what you give to others.
When your time on Earth will have come to an end, what will you have brought to others?
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If you were asked to choose 10 virtues, what virtues would you probably choose (not necessarily in order of importance)?
Lending myself to the exercise
My choice of 10 virtues (not such an easy choice, I find):
- goodness/kindness
- humility/simplicity
- honesty/sincerity
- respect
- care and love
- loyalty/faithfulness
- reliability/responsibility/trustworthiness
- humanity/humanness
- ethics/equity/fairness
- depth/meaningfulness/reflection/wisdom
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“The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched - they must be felt with the heart.” Helen Keller
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It's been another tough year, and those are other tough Holidays, for most of us.
Much loneliness, unfortunately.
But the good news is that it made, makes us appreciate all the human warmth that we had before the pandemic, and that we'll probably still have, after the pandemic (I particularly wish this human warmth for all those who will have thought, are thinking much of their health,
and of the health of others).
Community, responsibility, solidarity, unity, essence, health, helping each other, human warmth, among others, are words /
that I'll associate again with 2021.
To each and every one of you, dear women, and men, I give, offer goodness/kindness, care and love, humanity/humanness, wisdom, self-actualization!
We'll again get through this difficult period, with each other's help, and we'll be better, more caring and loving persons!
Reflective, Warm Holidays, Happiness, Love to each and every one of you!
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OK, OK, let me see what gifts are for me under the Christmas tree, this year… I’m so excited…
What? None? Sigh…
Oh, there’s a little one, there, modestly wrapped, for me…
Loop, ribbon, wrapping flying away…
A simple little note, inside.
“Настоящая любовь, дорогая, вот что это такое.
И это то, что я предлагаю вам от всего сердца.
С Рождеством!”
God, a woman, somewhere, writing in Russian, has given me this charming little Christmas gift!
Happiness! Love!