12/26/2006

Tiny Tim

I was watching "A Christmas Carol" the one with Patrick Stewart at like 5am the other day. I started to think about the role Tiny Tim has in the movie. How he pulls at the heartstrings of the viewer/reader with his crutch, and impending death (without Scrooge's influence of course.) I think most people know many of the lines in Charles Dickens' story, but the ones that I found that I was the most familiar with were those involving Tiny Tim. His character is a perfect icon for the Christmas spirit. He is so young and innocent and opens his heart to anyone who asks. I think most Christmas movies have this character in them.
I actually like Tiny Tim. He is so genuine. He loves unconditionally. I think this is why although I really hate the concept of him dying it almost has to happen. I'd hate to say it but I think that it is truly inevitable that as a person grows up they stop trusting other people. I like the idea of remaining as open hearted as Tiny Tim is, but I don't think that I'm being a pessimist in saying that he would be ripped apart in the real world. I try my best to look for the good nature in people, but it is incredibly difficult when you have seen how horrible it can be when a person takes advantage of someone else's good nature.

I swear I am not writing this out of bitterness. In fact I have been thinking a lot on a subject also related to Christian values, forgiveness. Any time I say the Lord's Prayer (I'm not exactly religious, but I still say it occasionally) I think about how there is a strong emphasis put on the idea of truly forgiving anyone who has wronged you. For several years now I have had one rather strong objection it was a kind of "I forgive everyone, but that one." I think I have finally gotten over it enough that I can genuinely say that I forgive that person. I won't ever forget, but I am finally able to say that I am in fact getting over what happened. I am not exactly able to trust everyone without restraint, but I am not as guarded as I was. I hope that next year I will greet people more in this way; "With an open smile and with open doors I will bid you welcome, what is mine is yours."

12/24/2006

Religion and Misunderstanding

I haven't written in quite a while, and I have two ideas. I'll save one for tomorrow.

With the holiday I've noticed religion a lot more recently, specifically Christianity. It seemed a little odd to me to see wreaths at work and in other offices after coming from a college where secular humanist approach was taken to... well just about everything. At our Christmas party the owner of the clinic made a speech, and in it he said something to the point of "at the clinic we all must remember and believe that this time of year is about Christ." I suppose I should have known it was coming, but it was still surprising to me.

In the midst of all of my personal frustration with the rather evangelical nature of Christmas, driving yesterday I heard this story. Last week's show called "Shouting Across the Divide."
I was appalled and really disappointed by the Serry and Chloe's stories. Even though this country has good ideas about freedom and what every person's rights are, we don't always live by or even consider these founding ideals. It breaks my heart that this continued for so long. It infuriates me that her teacher was able to continue teaching. I don't understand how this can happen. I have been through "diversity training" before, and I always think it is a load of crap, but maybe that's because to me it just seems like common sense to me. I guess it really isn't though to a good portion of our population if something like this could happen, and no other parents would object.

12/01/2006

December 1st

I think if you met me in October you would think that I hate Christmas. I hate that Christmas decorations start showing up before Halloween, especially in stores such as Wallmart. But today is December first, so I turned all the Christmas music in iTunes one, and am now starting to lighten up to the other decorations around. I really do like Christmas time, and especially like Christmas music, I just don't like it coming any earlier than it has to.