New Year's Musings

I deliberately didn't follow much news during late December, out of an old fashioned belief that Christmas is a time to relax. It's hard to relax if you're all wound up about the happenings somewhere else, so I decided to let Afghanistan and New York carry on without me. The various celebrities could do their thing, and if I never find out about it, so much the better. I've always wanted to visit Argentina, but enough news seeped through to tell me that now wouldn't be a particularly good time. The same is true of Sidney, Australia. All these are unfortunate situations, but right here and now there is no action or inaction of mine that will improve things for the poor people involved. So for a while, I let go of them.

As a consequence, my wife and I had a perfectly wonderful Christmas. We had some social activities, but not too many to wear us out. We had time to laze around the house not doing anything in particular, but not so much to get bored. But then, between books, music, and the near infinite entertainment possibilities of the internet, I have to work pretty hard to be bored. We walked through the neighbourhood and down into Fish Creek Park, commenting on people that don't shovel their driveways or sidewalks. Maybe they were too busy watching the news to clear the snow before it gets packed into ice.

More likely they were shopping. As a rule I avoid the malls in December, but I was into South Centre mall twice. It wasn't so bad, all things considered, even the pre-Christmas trip. That may have been because I didn't have to buy anything, and I wasn't in a hurry. I knew exactly what I wanted to get, and was mainly interested in comparing the price at mall stores to where I planned on buying. It turned out I couldn't get what I wanted in the mall, but that was ok. I took a little time to stroll and do some people watching.

I didn't see many people enjoying themselves. Some, my spiritual kin, had a look of grim determination on their faces. They were walking as fast as the crowds would let them, clearly knowing exactly where they were going, why, and what for. Almost all of the rest were like sheep. They didn't know where they were going, and changed their mind at unpredictable times and places. Such people are normally very frustrating for me, but I didn't care. I had never before realized how oblivious such people were to the crowds around them. They would stop in the middle of the aisle and not notice people pushing past them, never realizing that they were in the way.

There were a few other watchers, mostly teenagers or elderly people. The teenagers sauntered along trying to look cool, or whatever the word is now, and pretending they were not driven to the mall in a minivan by their parents. The elderly people were mainly resting and watching world go by as they gathered their strength for another bout of shopping. Some of them looked horrified at what the teenagers were almost wearing.

No doubt it is gratifying to the mall management, but I was surprised at how many people were in what is called a food court. Most of the seats were full, and there were line ups at many of the outlets for food-like substances. This at mid-afternoon. If I'm eating something it's almost always because I'm hungry and I enjoy the taste. The people I looked at didn't look like they were enjoying the taste of what they were eating.

All these people were in the mall of their own free will, but you wouldn't believe it by looking at them. They were driven there by expectations; mainly those of other people expecting to receive a gift from the shopper, but also to meet a self image of being a good provider. It's easy to see that they had succumbed to the consumerist fantasy of Christmas; that you are only as good as the last gift you gave.

I think this is sad, even pathetic. The religious aspect of Christmas doesn't mean much to me, but for some it's still the foundation of the meaning of the occasion. For me, it's a time to take stock of the finished year, reflecting on the good and not so good. It's a time to make plans for the new year, the ones you really mean to carry out this time. Above all else, it's a time to appreciate the people in your life, especially your children, and make a little time for them. Surely that is a more precious gift than some mall supplied consumer item?