Well, Happy Thanksgiving (no offense implied) to everyone. This is the beginning of that time of the year where we are all confused, isn’t it?
I mean, we don’t know if it is proper to say…’Merry Christmas’ or ‘Happy Holidays’ or just what to say, do we?
This political correctness has gotten me so messed up. I tend to just mumble…’Murrphmph to you too.’ to folks I don’t really know very well. I mean I suppose in the extreme, if you offend someone by wishing them a Happy Thanksgiving and they are in support of indigenous people and hate Christopher Columbus as well as the folks who came over on the Mayflower then you might be in danger of having your house burnt to the ground. Heaven forbid you make someone mad or upset these days.
I suppose you can manage to get upset over just about anything if you wanted to do so. Take valentines day for example. Who could get offended by this holiday? Well, suppose your girlfriend or boyfriend or whatever (no offense implied here either) had just broken up with you to run off with a scientist studying beetles of the Congo, then you may well be sad and offended with little hearts and flowers and candy. Or perhaps it was you who ran off to the Congo and found out they don’t have any chocolate and don’t have a clue as to what Valentines Day means thus making you sad and resentful for having left your cozy , comfortable home with electricity and plumbing to live is a grass hut with bugs and heat and natives (no offense implied here) who think of you as dinner. Besides which you never wanted to study beetles anyway, your dear old dad talked you into doing so. You wanted to be a plumber. I can see where you might not be a happy camper on February 14th.
July 4th is a no brainer. Those that think of this country as a usurper and a imperialistic society will take no joy in celebrating our independence from those royals in England. Certainly, those of us in Texas should never celebrate our independence from Mexico. In fact, we should give Texas back to Mexico. But wait, didn’t Mexico take Texas and the rest of their country from the Spanish? Ah, yes, so we take back Texas to give back to Mexico to give back to the Spanish, but wait…didn’t the Spanish take the country from the Inca’s? Yes, so now we take Texas, give it back to Mexico, who gives it back to the Spanish who gives it back to the Incas. But there are not any Inca’s anymore.
Ok, so we’ll have a big lottery and sell tickets and the winner gets all of it, how’s that work for you?
Probably not going to happen is it?
So, here we are the last week in November torn between whether to call it a holiday tree or a Christmas tree. Do lights go up before or after Thanksgiving? Does anyone notice or really care?
I think not.
I think if you want to tell someone Happy Thanksgiving or Merry Christmas or Happy holidays or just plain old ’Murrphmph’ it’s perfectly ok to do so. You might get ridiculed or removed from the “A” list or whatever list, but who really cares?
Take a wild chance and wear some plaids with some stripes. If it makes you happy, then go for it. Life is too short to be overly concerned with what other folks think especially those you don’t really know.
Spend time with your friends, your family and those around you who understand you for who and what you are. They will forgive you and love you anyway, if not then you don’t need them in your life.
They are the only ones that really matter. That’s where your time and my time is best spent.
Happy Thanksgiving to you all.
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