“Season of Lights”
Greetings and salutations from the sand, sun and surf of Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard and the rainy, raw, windy island of Nantucket! Great to be with you on this 23rd day of December, just about time for Santa to come down the chimney, but, hey, hold on a moment! It’s also Hanuka! “The Season of Lights”–(p.s. “full disclosure”, did I say that right?, I and all of the people I know, give thanks, praise and above all full and honored credit for possibly illegally using CBS’ image of candle seen by above on what I assume is an image of a CBS owned TV, I hope you don’t mind, thanks a bunch CBS, you’re the best!)–where a candle is lit as a symbol of a miracle that happened a long, long time ago, it’s a long story that someone better than a one time summer camp counselor at Camp Tel Noar in New Hampshire, lifeguard, bike instructor/guide, can tell you! I believe it’s something about a candle that never really went out, a true symbol of gratitude and the fact miracles happen everyday; it’s just that many of us, including this reporter, miss so many of them along this journey we call LIFE, one we all take together and get to share in, hopefully not too consumed by the glow of the fake light of an I pad, I pod, I am?
Yes, that’s right ‘all ye merry gentlemen it’s Hanaka once again, or nearing the end of it for this year anyway… Perhaps not a holiday that George Washington, Thomas Jefferson or James Madison celebrated, but would have , as they truly embraced the notion of religious freedom and the freedom of peaceful expression of said religious convictions. Yes, Hanaka...a celebration of eight days of gift giving, thanks and celebration for all of the bounty we truly have in this beautiful world we all share as one race…the human race. (although, some have a whole lot more than others, so to those I hope there is bounty as well)
The weather is stormy across the northern parts of the United States this Tuesday morning, as busy traffic streams past my office window here at the Hyannis/Hyannis Port Waterfront. The lights of this village, as well as the rest of villages, towns, suburbs and cities, not only in Massachusetts, but Connecticut, Rhode Island, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine, all six New England states, really do Christmas up right. I mean, take Nantucket’s Christmas Stroll every year as an example of greatness. Norman Rockwell in 2014, would still have been a very busy painter to be sure; a rather odd and almost divine perspective on small town life. An eye comprehending just how beautiful this country, indeed it’s people, really are. From the dogs and cats, children and old style garb, harkens one back to the days when things were just a little less complicated, less fraught with anger, rage, doubt, pity, outrage, injustice, more injustice, revenge, violence, oppression, suppression, ah, the list goes on ad infinite.
However, there is a word that we all want to embrace with all of our collective hearts, and that word is peace. May ALL victims of violence, whomever, wherever, or whatever they are, may those who have been wronged be healed, be somehow given the light you see above and in that light be at peace with the Force that is LOVE.
Forgiveness is a hard nut to crack, I know, but I hope this Nation, and the good people who live in it, find it in their hearts to forgive their ‘enemies’; because in and by doing that, you not only set yourself free, you free them as well. Kind of a win-win. A Happy Holiday for everyone concerned…
Have a nice day!
PRESERVE THE WILDERNESS! Peace~M
