Well, I’m going to be kind of busy over the next couple of days, so I thought I’d pop in now to wish all of my friends and readers a joyous winter-esque holiday season (whatever you celebrate).
This will be my first time really celebrating the holidays. I was tentative in previous years, even after I had stopped thinking of myself as a Jehovah’s Witness, because the programming to feel uneasy about such things still sort of lurked there. I just couldn’t bring myself to throw myself into it yet. Even having settled into agnostic territory, there was still that nagging voice saying “but if there is a god and an Armageddon, he will roast me with lightning bolts for celebrating something with pagan origins”.
After several years of therapy, deprogramming, and wading in gently to test the waters, I think this is a good year to throw caution to the wind. For starters, I have a loved one to celebrate with this year. Matt LOVES Christmas, even though he’s not religious – in fact, the UK is responsible for the Church of England, ab0ut the biggest NON-event of a religion ever. And Christmas and the holidays have, for many, become completely secular anyhow. So I see about as much problem with “pagan origins” as I do with wearing a wedding ring (because surprise, surprise! Those have “pagan origins”, too! In fact, you’re pretty hard pressed not to find ANY tradition, however venerable, that is not based at least in part in pagan roots). I’m not required to celebrate for the sake of religion – I’m more than happy just to take advantage of the general feeling of that little bit of extra love and sharing in the air.
Of course, celebrating “with” my loved one this year is perhaps a misstatement. Matt is still in Scotland and we are unable to fly him out at present, until we receive the advance for the Girl’s Guide to Homelessness book, which is still pending. So he is tending to family matters there and I remain in California. Still, I like to think that we will manage to pull together via phone or internet and convey our warmth and love to one other as best we are able… from an ocean away. If you read this, I love you baby. Even if we can’t be in the same country for Christmas this year, know that one way or another, I’ll be right there with you.
Love, joy, and happiness to all my readers! I dedicate this song by Vienna Teng, which transcends all religion, no matter how you categorize yourself, and gets right to the core of what the season is all about:
