Commercialism Vs. Spirit

Hello fellow bloggers, readers, and passers-by,

This post will probably make no sense to you, or me for that matter, but I felt the need to do it. To write something for you all to read, and to ease the tension that is slowly building up inside me. Not to mention the pain in my neck, throat, head and sinus area. Alas, I am ill. But fear not, my faithful followers, it is not the illness that will be contagious, but rather, the urge to do something... anything... to break the boredom I am so severely suffering this holiday season.

"Times are tight and moneys hard... and here's your F'in Christmas card"... yes folks, I just wrote that. Do not be bothered by it. It is nonsense really. But it is true that times are tight and that money is hard. For instance... many people have gone out, blew up their credit card balances and cleared nearly everything out of their savings account to buy into the commercialism of Christmas. Their four member households will open a more than adequate number of gifts this holiday, bragging on face book and twitter how much they received and how happy they are and their 'I can't wait until next years list' of gimme's. On the other hand, some families are happy with the simpler things. That turkey dinner they have so patiently waited for all year... complete with all the trimmings, because let's face it... Thanksgiving dinner just can't compete to Christmas dinner!

Then there are the families who have no presents, no dinner, and no one to share a greeting with. Families that have been torn apart by addiction, depression, adultery, and an onslaught of other issues that many forget exist. And while these are truly tragic events, the one that really chaps my hide are the ungrateful... the ones who want more and more and more, and are not once truly appreciative of what they have.

I'm not talking about material things. I'm talking about life. Whether you believe in God, Buddha, Allah, or other deity (or not)... you got here somehow, even if by science... and yet, we are living, breathing human beings are incapable of showing a little gratitude. Those who believe in a higher power often do for others who cannot do for themselves... but is it because they want to out of the kindness of their hearts, or because they think they will receive something in the end. I know, I know, they think its the right thing to do, so they do it... but you and I both know, whether it's on earth or in heaven, they expect something in return. Sadly, those who do not believe in a higher power will often give just because they can and want to. As you can see, being in the bible belt has it's good points and it's bad points... and I've seen enough 'christians' to know that a person is just a hypocritical walking into a church as they can be walking down an aisle at the department store.

I told you this post would not make sense... but it's starting to come together. If we are going to make it in this world, let us give with our hearts, unconditionally, rather than with our wallets on a budget. Let us become indebted to our neighbors out of the kindness we share with each other over the high prices at the store. Let's do unto others as we'd have done unto us because we genuinely care about the other person, not so we earn bragging rights about how expensive a particular gift was.

In this day and age, I can't imagine a world more ugly, filled with commercialism, hate, jealousy, greed, and contempt as I have witnessed this season. So, my family will be bucking the system. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, the 24 of December will be Commercialism Day. This is the day we will give our children gifts in honor of commercialism. Between four children, they will open gifts all totaling at a value of less than 200.00. They will smile with happiness, not because they got what they wanted, but because they were loved enough to get something, and they will value that. Because it isn't the price or the gift, but the love that backs it up. How many i-pad, i-phone, xbox 360 holding fiends can say that?

But our holiday will not stop there. On December 25, we will wake up, hug each other, have breakfast together, read the story of Christ's birth (because we do believe)... Then we will visit family and share the love we have with them. And when all is said and done, our children will know the true meaning of love... not the falsification of Christmas as commercialism would have us to believe.

Until tomorrow,
LaVonda