The First Week of New Choices

After watching and actually participating in the melee that was Black Friday, I've noticed we all now have hit a lull in the frenzy. There is this time right after that experience, that settles for a moment all things, right before we swallow hard and strap on our backpacks and head out again.

Except we don't have to.

Something, over the years, has caused us to go bigger, better, faster, whatever. We want that thing or this thing , the green one or the red one. Then, after the heroine is in the mainstream, we lose our craving and our desire for those things we were beating our drums to get. Of course, we had to buy the drum first-the red one.

I know, I know, its easy talk for a middle-aged guy to say. I've had my run. Get out of the way old man and let us have our shot at that 32 inch on sale in the meat department at Walmart. There is something terribly wrong with that picture. Its kind of like making that heroine deal in the dirty restroom of a old neighborhood gas station, only the rump roast is on sale.

What if the kid gets only three presents instead of ten? What would happen? What if your partner gets you a bag of socks and underwear-something we, as men, always seem to need but never buy for ourselves. What if everyone comes over for a game of yard darts and cinnamon rolls and really good coffee? I got to tell you, I can't remember last year's presents. I do remember one of my three kids was in a war zone.  Priorities.

What if, for Christmas morning, we got up and went for a walk-a long walk, maybe in a park, early so the morning colors were the most vibrant? What if the family down the street, whose single mother just had her hours cut, wakes up with a fully decorated tree on her front porch and not only some well needed presents for her kids under it, but something for her?

What if that kid at school you teach at wanted to buy a gift for his dying grandma, but didn't have the money and he comes in the next day and you give him a wrapped gift, tellingl him someone must have overheard his conversation because you found this in your mailbox with a note on it to give it to him (high school kids are pretty gullible).

Look, I'm not saying we shouldn't get caught up in the wave of free enterprise; we're 'Mericans forcrissake! But with that said, no one knows the true cost of where we live like us. We take care of the world and who better to take care of our own other than us? And here is the fun thing-you feel like you just won the lottery.

I don't know, maybe not. Maybe its all just a stage and we're the players. Oh, but what a play!