Keep the Saturn in Saturnalia

I love this time of year. I love the lights, the decorations, the "holiday" traditions, the smells, the sounds, and most especially the personal meaning that I attribute to all of these. But I especially like the feeling that my particular way of celebrating what I celebrate at this time of year is part of a much larger continuum of midwinter celebrations that have existed in various forms in cultures worldwide.

Cultural ritual and tradition are a form of artistic expression that help us attribute meaning to our lives and help us understand the inexpressible, even the unknowable. Both the way we express and the meaning we give to these traditions differs across the world, but the fact that they exist in some form worldwide is beautiful to me.

As a member of the Church of Jesus-Christ of Latter-Day Saints -- with an admittedly Humanist bent -- I love contemplating my place in this continuum of mid-winter ritual extending back to Roman festivals like Saturnalia and the various Druidic, Pagan, and Celtic cultural remnants that also find expression in my "Christmas" activities. I love thinking of my personal focus on children at this time of year as a remnant of the Feast of Fools (or a relatively similar tradition inherent to the Roman Saturnalia), where peasants and kings traded places for a day of silliness and festivity. I love contemplating what  symbolism my evergreen tree or crackling winter fire might have had to my tribal forebears in Celtic Europe. I love contemplating how my "festival of lights" is different from, and yet so very similar to the Hanukkah of my Jewish friends.

I also love contemplating the way these mid-winter festivities join me with the rest of humanity. My humanity is enhanced when I contemplate the artful expressions of culture and meaning that have been celebrated at this time of year in Asia. The Chinese Dongzhi Festival with its focus on family and togetherness (and delectable balls of glutinous rice!); the Water Lantern Festival with it's focus on ancestors and spirituality -- don't we all turn our thoughts to our forebears at this time of year, with both sadness and joy?

This time of year also serves to remind me of the destructive cultural hegemony that humans have forced onto other humans with malicious ignorance throughout history. The celebration of Kwanzaa, with its beautiful colors, dances, and ritual is a stark reminder of this fact, while simultaneously affirming the beautiful ability humans have to be artful and expressive as they reclaim and reinvent their cultural and religious observances.

So at this time of year, I embrace my humanity and yours. I embrace the wonderful diversity of our cultural traditions. I revel in their expressive artfulness. I celebrate those who reclaim and recreate; who relive and perpetuate; who share cookies and mirth, give gifts, and warm smiles. I celebrate those who look on in bewilderment, frustrated at the onslaught of it all. Whether it's a nativity crèche presented with religious fervor, an inflatable Santa electronically chanting "ho, ho, ho", an austere metal pole accompanied by various airing of grievances and feats of strength, a retail business just trying to make a buck, an opportune day-off for going out for Chinese food, or anything else, it's my hope we'll all be true to ourselves first and foremost.

Our DNA comes to us from a long line of mid-winter survivors. Let's lift one another up and make it a happy one, remembering the shared experience and continuum of humanity. And Christians, we need to recognize our privileged place in American culture. We may insist on keeping the Christ in our Christmas, but in so doing, we need to recognize the human continuum that has given us many of the traditions we now cherish as part of our Christmastide. Remember, in keeping Christ in Christmas we also need to embrace the Saturn in Saturnalia.

Hiking around NYC

I like hiking around NYC. Especially in the winter. I find the cold, austerity, and lonliness to be sublime. And best of all, I haven't been on a hike yet that I would consider difficult -- sorry guys, but even my hometown in CA has more treacherous climbs than Breakneck Ridge. Today was slippery and snowy trip through Harriman State Park. We had had a recent ice storm which coated the forest in a spectacular glassy silver. And in spite of forcasts for a cold, sunny day, we hit the trail in windy snow flurries. The sun finally broke through just as we were approaching the "summit" and what a view.

Vegetarianism and America's greatest export -- the Drive Through

I came to the realization the other day that I'm essentially becoming a vegetarian.  Well not exactly a vegetarian, but pretty close.  I'll admit that I don't necessarily have an aversion to eating meat, but in good conscience I can't stand to support the callous, disgusting, not to mention inhumane "growing" of meat for consumption that takes place in the USA (and other places).  If this most recent beef recall doesn't confirm in everyone's mind that something horribly wrong is going on in these carcass processing plants, I don't know what would.  While I don't necessarily agree with all the particulars of the PETA-Vegan movement, I will say that I admire their respect for life, in all it's forms.  Not going to go into details here... after all, this blog does begin with a photo of me "kicking" a pigeon in Venice.  To be brief, I would say a more moderate approach is in order.  But what are you going to do when you live in the country that invented the drive through?  At first it was hamburgers, then medicines, and weddings.  Then in the cold weather climes the banks got into the act, and finally in Ohio.... the coup de gråce of our humanity and culture.... drive through liquor.  I'm glad I don't live in Ohio.  Note the very typically bulbous proportions of the local shopkeep (read: the fat guy in the picture!).  And below that, our greatest export, as I found it in Assisi, Italy.  Rendered so appetizingly refreshing as "McDrive."  Ooooh, can I have some McHypertension and McDiabetes with that?

Kicking Back

In the face of so much encouragement and teasing how could I not start a blog?  So with this post I take the plunge into the headiness of the blogosphere, raising my voice where no one will listen, registering my opposition where no one cares, shouting at everyone and everything, and finally kicking back in futility.  Like pushing water away from you in a swimming pool.  Maybe my family will enjoy this, but don't expect personal updates.  I'm far to suspicious of the internet to allow the posting of personal photos and such.  Only the linguistic vomit of an active mind.