Shadow Puppet Storyteller

With whom will you celebrate?

Not quite mid-December here in Los Angeles, and Christmas is both happening everywhere, and not being celebrated in usual form. Evidence of this comes in the extended line at the 1st Street Starbucks and in the startling appearance of Santa on PA from an airborne LAPD helicopter circling the civic center in the mid-morning. In my putting great effort into assembling and decorating the tree for our pod of cubicles, but at home not finding the spirit to decorate in the apartment. I like to think that Christmas is still being celebrated in most hearts.

Is Christmas about intent or successful follow-through? Hear me out. People make intent into a mostly negative thing when one, "only has good intentions..." implying failure. But to me intention involves imagination and hope. And that to me fits with the Christmas story, about the hope and newness of a season. A covenant of love starting with the presentation of the Christ child in Bethlehem. In gathering to exchange gifts, of course your sister hopes you have the follow-through to have made a trip to the toy store for their kids. However, to me, that follow-through phase is in alignment with the Easter Season. That won't stop me from being a practical aunt and having toys in hand 2 weeks from now instead of baskets four months down the road.