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thatcrazycajunFrom Lafayette, LA, USA, 4:50p: Today, most of the Western world celebrates the birth, 2,007 years ago, of Jesus Christ (on a totally arbitrary date that has much more to do with the remnants of ancient pagan midwinter rites than the actual chronological anniversary of the so-called Virgin Birth, but we won't go into that) by closing up shop, laying down tools and cares and gathering with family and friends.
Except, that is, for the people whose job it is to make sure the rest of us can enjoy such times at home and hearth in safety—police officers, ambulance drivers, doctors and nurses and orderlies and technicians in the emergency rooms of hospitals, traffic controllers and pilots and terminal agents and others at the airports, bus and rail stations...and firefighters like my younger brother, Capt. Douglas P. Leger of the Lafayette Fire Dept. here in the town of my own birth, who two years out of every five must give up his holiday to help keep the city's fire houses staffed over Christmas, ready to respond to the all-too-common fire begun by poorly-wired lights or gas stoves left on unattended. And also those who staff the few grocery, drug and other retail stores where necessities must remain available. And, of course, our soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere around the world who are on post and on duty today, many far from their loved ones.
Today, as you enjoy your holiday, whether it be Christmas, Yule, Solstice, Kwanzaa or none at all, please spare a thought if you can for these people, who help keep the season bright...and safe. And wherever you may be today, and whatever you may be doing, may your holiday be filled with light, joy and peace and your new year happy, healthy and prosperous.
Except, that is, for the people whose job it is to make sure the rest of us can enjoy such times at home and hearth in safety—police officers, ambulance drivers, doctors and nurses and orderlies and technicians in the emergency rooms of hospitals, traffic controllers and pilots and terminal agents and others at the airports, bus and rail stations...and firefighters like my younger brother, Capt. Douglas P. Leger of the Lafayette Fire Dept. here in the town of my own birth, who two years out of every five must give up his holiday to help keep the city's fire houses staffed over Christmas, ready to respond to the all-too-common fire begun by poorly-wired lights or gas stoves left on unattended. And also those who staff the few grocery, drug and other retail stores where necessities must remain available. And, of course, our soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere around the world who are on post and on duty today, many far from their loved ones.
Today, as you enjoy your holiday, whether it be Christmas, Yule, Solstice, Kwanzaa or none at all, please spare a thought if you can for these people, who help keep the season bright...and safe. And wherever you may be today, and whatever you may be doing, may your holiday be filled with light, joy and peace and your new year happy, healthy and prosperous.
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Date: 2007-12-25 10:50 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-12-26 03:52 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-12-25 10:57 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-12-25 11:27 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-12-26 01:39 am (UTC)every year i do some holiday parties in december (and sometimes january for the companies who are too busy to have one in december). these company parties are illuminating. i am walking into their world, and i almost feel like it's a sacred place that i the interloper somehoe have the privilege of visiting. sometimes they are joyous celebration of folks who truly love being around each other, and when that is the case, they usually have a charismatic, caring leader. sometimes they are suffering as a group- maybe some folks have just been laid off and their absence is painfully obvious at the party this year.
this year, among other things i played for an Army hospital staff, and at some point we were all asked to remember fallen comrades, with a beautiful ritual where an empty table, with an upside down glass, an empty chair and a few other symbolic things were all given explanation. 7 or 8 toasts were given, the color guard presented the colors... it was all quite meaningful (except for the macarena and chicken dance contest where people competed for grab bag presents). Before i performed we were also asked to remember those who were on shift that night at the hospital, and had to miss the big party. they rotate so no one has to miss it every year.
You know who that makes me think of though, is my Aunt (who has brain cancer) and all the other folks who are spending their holiday in a hospital bed, especially those alone. I thought I had been to the bottom, lying in the hospital bed wondering if I'd live or die, but it wasn't my birthday and it wasn't the holidays. I just can't imagine how that adds to the loneliness. I think we all go through, at one time or another feeling "I should be happy but I'm not" at the holidays- my heart goes out to those patients, and their families, as well as our soldiers, who are nto oliving in a time or situation where they can call a Christmas truce and play soccer together.
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Date: 2007-12-26 03:43 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-12-27 07:19 am (UTC)