Thursday, December 24, 2009

Christmas Interrupted?

The gifts are all wrapped up and grouped and bagged accordingly. A cool breeze announces each December morning. There's the sound of carolers, mostly children singing to homes of their playmates. (Thankfully, there are none of the adults that tend to pressure one to allow them to sing - whether intentionally or not.) Christmas won't be delayed and not even the events of the past quarter - typhoons, massacres and now, a volcanic eruption - can stop this most anticipated season, especially in the Philippines.

We have always been a happy people. In the face of disasters we always come out being able to transcend the challenges, the stresses, the disappointments and frustrations associated with whatever disaster or trials that come our way. I'd like to think that political leadership (or the lack of it) is the only hindrance to us being happy AND wealthy at the same time.

Indeed, if material things are to be the basis for happiness, a lot of us won't even make the cut for many of those surveys that get published in newspapers or online. Formal studies do not do justice at all to how we celebrate Christmas, or more appropriately, how we celebrate our lives. Life after all is what is important and it is the gift of life that we celebrate in Christmas. Come to think of it, we are actually celebrating an Easter - our resurrection after a passion-filled past months.

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