Merry Christmas

Christmas means a lot of different hings to a lot of different people.
It's a religious holiday.
It's a shopping holiday.
It's a day for those who shop religiously.
I'm not a big fan of either. So for me, Christmas is a day to spend with those you hold most dear in your heart. For me, it's Carlos and my family. of course, the family is moistly on the Left Coast and I'm over here on the right, so Christmas is me and Carlos, and Ozzo, Tuxedo, MaxGoldberg and Tallulah Belle--all furry kids.
It's a day of relaxation and together; reflection and laughter; of a good dinner cooked and shared by the two of us. It's not a day for What did you get? or for thinking How could I have spent so much? It's a day for How lucky am I? How lucky indeed.
Christmas is a connection we all can share regardless of faith, if we look at it as a day of Peace. A day to relax; to forgive, if not forget. To be at Peace.
Every year I get the same question from friends and strangers alike: What are you getting for Christmas? What do you want for Christmas?
And I always say, What I get is a lovely day. What I want, and I ask for it every year, is Peace On Earth.
So here's to Peace On Earth, and the little parts that each of us play in creating our own peace. To make amends to those we may have slighted in the past year; to those who may have slighted us. To talk with the people we love just because we love them. To be nice.
Just to be nice. There's a concept. Maybe if we all took a moment to think about how we'd like to be treated, we would find ourselves treating others the same way. It's a small step, but an important one. A Please here and a Thank You there. You're Welcome is good; My pleasure, is better. Hold a door open for someone; let someone with less packages get in line ahead of you. Lay off the horn. Don't speed. Smile. Be nice.
Be at Peace.
Merry Christmas world; Happy Hanukkah. Happy Kwanzaa. Merry Festivus. Happy Holidays.
Peace.