The Holiday Season and the Joy of Gratitude.

It is almost unforgivable for radio stations to start playing Christmas music before Thanksgiving. They were practically doing it the minute the little goblins had counted their Halloween candy this year. Can we give each holiday a little space please? The end of the year is already crowded enough, at least let them happen one at a time for Christ’s sake. I keep waiting for the stygian trio of Hallmark, Macy’s and Wal-Mart to conjure up enough chutzpah to declare every June 25th Christmas II. Though for now, the rest of my thoughts lean toward inner reflection and Thanksgiving.

What do I have to be thankful for?

The hope of tomorrow and of new beginnings. Friends and family that are there when you need them the most. Being pleasantly surprised. Halloween parties. DC comics ‘New 52’ actually being pretty good, thereby restoring my faith in the medium. Popcorn. All but eliminating caffeine from my diet and the inner peace that sacrifice has allowed me. Gatorade. The effervescent elation of my daughter’s laughter. Really good pizza. My cat. Sprite. H. H. the Dalai Lama. Peanut butter, the multiverse, and a whole bunch of other things (although I realize more and more that I am not nearly thankful enough).

There will always be something show gratitude for, even if only for the lessons we must continue to learn. During the last year that process, for me, has been non-stop. As if some kind of killswitch obsessed roller coaster operator on speed seized control of my life and tried to turn it into some crazed mash up of Wipeout XL and Donkey Kong. And so it goes, turning and twisting, nearly spinning out of control and over the side of the track, then settling down just long enough to start thinking everything will be ok for a few minutes. Oh what fun, this carnival ride called life. But we keep going, believing just around the next bend we will find some answers, or that maybe somehow they will find us.

Safe travels.

Om mani padme hum.