During the time of Christmas and New Years we give and receive many greetings. Sometimes I think that our greetings are very shallow social things. What do we mean by Merry Christmas? Everybody's Christmas is different. We have different families and our backgrounds indicate what Christmas celebrations we may have. So I'm starting to wonder if my greetings have any meaning at all?
Well, maybe I'm taking this to an extreme. Maybe I shouldn't be taking some of the pleasantness of the season away.
What got me thinking about this?
Well, I went for my regular walk Christmas Eve. As usually no one is out except this time somebody went by. A mule buck had crossed the street in front of me and entered the woods. A minute later someone had ridden their bike out of the dark unlit woods trail. I was startled when someone behind me said Merry Christmas! It was a homeless man going by on his bike with his cart. I knew this man. He is Basil and sometimes stays at a house 5 doors away from me. Basil is an aboriginal and most of his life has been a downer.
So a cheerful Christmas greeting from a man who has had nothing but trouble in his life really made me stop and think about the world. I was touched more than any other greeting by the wish I received from Basil. I'll remember it.
