Christmas
Where do you find peace?
I’ve made a few edits to this article that I wrote in April of 2012. I’m re-blogging it because I know that the Holiday season may be joyful for the multitudes, but that is not always the case for everyone. I’m thinking of the reader who simply wishes this season would end and that a new year would begin…a new start that might herald in a smidgeon of much-needed peace. This one’s for you.
Do you find peace within the circle of your family; or does meditation or prayer, an inspirational book, or music fill your soul? Wherever the source – how do you keep that peace from slipping away?
Certainly when we’re exposed to sorrowful or earth-shattering news, any semblance of peace and calm seem to disappear, such as: acts of terrorism – both domestic and abroad; heartless school shootings; bigotry and hatred; and even devastating illness. How many times has your armor been pierced by such circumstances?
Too many to count. So how do we find peace amongst the chaos?
We can find peace in many small ways – probably the easiest way to do so is to acknowledge the beauty that surrounds us. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a creationist or an evolutionist, the beauty you see is the same. It’s always refreshing when I walk through my local plant nursery,
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December 2013 Celebrations
Only 31 days left in 2013. Here are a few serious and not so serious dates to celebrate:
Monthly events: Bingo Month; and Write a Friend Month (a real, paper letter, not a Tweet, text, e-mail, FB post, etc.)
- Dec. 1: Eat a Red Apple Day; and World Aids Awareness Day
- Dec. 3: National Roof over your Head Day (definitely something for which to be grateful)
- Dec. 5: End of Hanukkah (Chanukah); and Bathtub Party Day
- Dec. 6: St. Nicholas Day
- Dec. 7: Pearl Harbor Day
- Dec. 8: National Brownie Day (yum!); and International Children’s Day (I’m happy for the children in my life)
- Dec. 10: Human Rights Day
- Dec. 12: National Ding-a-Ling Day (probably not the same intent as that from the song “My Ding-a-Ling” written and recorded by Dave Bartholomew; also covered by Chuck Berry in 1972)
- Dec. 16: National Chocolate Covered Anything Day
- Dec. 21: Humbug Day; and 1st Day of Winter (makes sense)
- Dec. 24: National Chocolate Day (I’m sensing a trend)
- Dec. 25: Christmas Day
- Dec. 26: Kwanzaa; and Boxing Day
- Dec. 27: National Fruitcake Day (do they drop them off tops of buildings?)
- Dec. 31: Make up your Mind Day (I will make up my mind not to have any New Years resolutions)
December Calendar “Celebrations.”
As with my November list of “celebrations” the last month of the year is filled with many notable – and not so notable – events, some obvious – some not so obvious:
- Dec. 1: AIDS Awareness Day; Rosa Parks Day, Playboy Magazine first published (had to add something for everyone)
- Dec. 3: International Day of Disabled Persons
- Dec. 5: Volunteer Day
- Dec. 7: Pearl Harbor Day – Remembrance Day
- Dec. 8: Hanukkah begins – through the 16th
- Dec. 10: Human Rights Day (UN) – adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
- Dec. 11: United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) established
- Dec. 12: Bonza Bottler Day – an excuse to celebrate when the date and the monthly number are the same
- Dec. 13: Ice Cream and Violins Day – why the heck not?
- Dec. 14: NASCAR founded (1947); I had to add this one for my husband
- Dec. 15: Bill of Rights Day (US)
- Dec. 18: 13th Amendment (US) ratified abolishing slavery
- Dec. 21: Winter Solstice
- Dec. 24: Eggnog Day; Remember to Read the Instructions Night (seems appropriate as parents everywhere set up bicycles, toys, etc.)
- Dec. 25: Christmas Day
- Dec. 26: Boxing Day (Canada, UK); First Day of Kwanzaa
- Dec. 27: Howy Doody television show premieres on NBC – only Baby Boomers would know this one
- Dec. 28: First American test tube baby born (1981)
- Dec. 30: The Wonderful World of Disney television series is cancelled (1980) – again, a Baby Boomers staple way back when
- Dec. 31: New Years Eve – marking the end of one miserable year and the start of a better year; also, the Official end of WWII (1946).
Living: the ultimate team sport 