Post Christmas Thoughts

It is my experience that the eve of Christmas or New Year is always more happening or exciting or worth looking forward to then the actual day itself. Why? I am inclined to think that it is the anticipation that excites us humans. The thought of an arbitrary day, infused with so much social meaning to the point that it will spill over into madness. The frenzied shopping, the mad rush, the packed schedules of friends and family members all contribute to the “anticipation”.
Everything dies down after the countdown is over. When the party poppers have been popped, and the champagne devoured people retreat home where the slide back to reality ensues. The actual day is always far less exciting as compared to the countdown day. It was just like that for me, packed to the brim, sleeping 4 hours ever day and suddenly on Christmas, it was Church in the morning and a Christmas lunch party at a good friend’s house.
What inspired was what happened in the evening. A friend smsed me a merry Christmas message and ended with a suggestion to meet up after Christmas. Seeing how Christmas evening was the only evening I got I decided to fast forward the catch up to that evening itself, and that’s what happened.
My friend was feeling so many mixed feelings during this festive season. We talked and I pry and pried trying my best to help my friend come to terms. After we finished our drinks, I felt terribly helpless. Why? Because I felt I didn’t make a drop of difference at all. Why, because I am only one person.
It is my experience that people are social creatures, and hence much of our self worth and value comes from external validation. It was like that for me at one point, but I have evolved from that very narrow thinking, now I self generate energy to sustain my sense of self. But others have not yet reached that level, and I feel for them.
As social creatures, sometimes we place too much weight on the opinion of others and we forget that the most efficient way to change the opinion of others is to change ourselves from within first. Human lives are built using social relationships as beams and bricks. Some beams and bricks form core pillars that sustain our sanity, mutual Love and Respect serves as the mortar that binds our inner life. But we are not made of such inanimate objects, relationships are like cells, they are our building blocks, they are alive, they grow and they die. My friend could not understand this simple concept, her pain on Christmas day was more than what anyone should bear on such a festive season.
One day, I will be strong enough to protect and lift all those who are important to me. One day