Oh won't you stay, just a little bit longer?

And so, once again, Christmas passes. The season of warmth and compassion and cookies and the glow of anticipation and stare of wonder in the eyes of a child slowly withers as the petals of a rose. Christmas is the time when the cold, calculating, balance sheet minds of Western civilization fold their ledgers and remember that Mankind is their business. It is a time when the memory of home and family and lights and warmth and love are dusted off and held close. It is a time when the memory of the financial triumph is replaced by the memory of the stableboy. It is the time when getting is banished by the joy of giving. What is the part that we remember most? It is not the getting,a moment of unwrapping, a smile, a thank you, a feeling of peace because someone took the time to remember you. It is the giving, the planning, the consideration of the mind or needs of the receiver, the warmth that spreads from the mind to the heart when the final bow is tied and we can tell ourselves "Well done.". We don't remember the packages we opened but we do remember the look on the faces of those we love when they open the package we brought or the meal we cooked. It is the time when Mankind can be proud of itself. It is sad that it comes at the end of the year and marks a short period of our life in that year instead of coming at the beginning of the year and being a harbinger of the entire year to come.
There was a time when I thought the words of a Demi-Prophet were the wisest thing that I had ever heard. I had not experienced much of life at that time but now I have. If he were alive today, I would ask him "Imagine, above us only sky
Imagine, below us only dust
Imagine, where does your heart yearn to be?".
Christmas passes but I have a gift for Mankind. It is not a tangible thing, only an ephemeral, seasonal feeling. "Mankind, I am proud to be one of you today.".
Most of the world marks the year to come with a "Happy", "Happy New Year!". There is a unique place where the unity of mind and heart mark the new year with another "Happy", "Happy Christmas!". We will see which is appropriate for the year to come.