Wednesday, December 19, 2012

A Sad Christmas Is Okay, Too

Okay-I ordered myself a Christmas present, even though I've been bad this year. If you look to the right of the page, you will notice a link to Movie Morlocks, the Turner Classic Movies film blog where film critics, historians, film reviewers/academics write about movies. The great unwashed film-loving public (including me) comment and discuss (but rarely cuss) film posts there.
On a post about Documentary film, I mentioned one of my favorites from long ago-thinking of it impulsed me
to order it, and now it should show up from Amazon sometime in the new year:
"Horowitz in Moscow" from 1986-the return of Vladimir Horowitz to Russia after 60 plus wandering the globe as a musical refugee. It was filmed by CBS News, hosted by Charles Kuralt, and Horowitz and the music are wonderful.
But enough about that.
In an earlier post I favored a Puritan Christmas, meaning no tinsel, no tree, no presents, no mas.
But we are not all Puritans, and the rest of us who have Christmas indoctrination from a lifetime of celebrating know in our inner canalized being that we are supposed to be Merry at Christmas, or it just won't be Christmas!
Unicorn feathers. We are supposed to be honest with ourselves and each other-(that assumption, naive as it sounds, is one of the building blocks of our societal structure) and if we are honest, we admit that sometimes Christmas is sad, and that is just fine.
I'm thinking of the families in Newtown Connecticut.
I'm thinking of my friends who have each recently lost their parents.
I'm thinking of my friend in the hospital in whom they discovered Cancer while looking to fix something else.
I'm thinking of the millions out of work who face an uncertain future because of the poor economy.
Sad Christmas. I don't mean the morose Christmas, 'holiday blues' want to commit suicide kind of sad.
I mean the not pretending that all is Merry and Bright, that we are HAPPY merely because of the calendar.
For Christians, every day is Christmas, Sabbath and Resurrection Day. We live each day with Joy, even when we are sorrowful, and I can't explain that to you except to say that it is a gift from God, that such Joy is not emotive but is tied to our thankfulness for Salvation and for having become a part of God's family. Christians in prison cells being tortured for their faith still have Joy. It is one of the gifts that keeps on being given by God.
If you find yourself sitting in the middle of a sad Christmas, don't beat yourself up over it. It will be over soon. 




4 comments:

Doug said...

I know, I know-I'm going a little nuts with the background coloring of words. I try to keep things fresh by mixing it up a bit.
I could have added a dozen or so more 'things to be sad about' this Christmas but the few made the point.
It may be an over-generalization (if such a thing is possible-its like saying 'very wet water') but one reason why there are an uptick in suicides around Christmas may be because it is a annual reminder of the God which people lives their lives ignoring.
Of course it is quickly passed, and then, very quickly indeed, back to the sinning with New Years Eve, which is that most unholy of hol(y)idays. Next to Easter and Christmas it is probably the most pagan date on the calendar.
S'allright. I go for the Puritan New Year celebration-stay up until 8pm and eat dusty crackers.

James said...

Horowitz? He's like Liberace, right?

Just kidding. I was more of an Artur Rubinstein fan, but Horowitz's early recordings were also quite good.

Now, they churn out concert pianists like candy these days, with 12-year-olds playing Rachmaninoff's Third.

Doug said...

Hello James-check out Gabriela Montero if you want to hear a fine pianist of 'our' generation.
Her album, "Bach & Beyond" showcases her talent for improvisation.

Doug said...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4X2YOWcJwGk&feature=player_embedded#!