Solstice!

It's the Solstice!

It's the shortest day of the year! The original winter holiday. The one that started it all. Build a fire, pray for the powers-that-be to return the sun to us, to make out days longer, and bring forth a renewal of plant and spirit.

It is tough sometimes to wish everyone Peace and Happiness when my own government seems so dedicated to making war and misery.

Yet, the irony is that my very own family is doing very well. The knotty little nucleus of the few I surround myself with seem to be negotiating the slides and spills of life as if they were riding a white-water raft. My two adult children are in good jobs, with good futures, doing good things, and even have health insurance. They both sem to be in good relationships with people who are also doing well, and are smart, attractive and fun to be with. My charming and attractive wife is rolling through the days with spirit and verve, issuing commands and complaints with sparkling enthusiasm.

If you move away from our little circle by just one ring of relationship you run into some disruptions and dysfunctionals, but that's what families are for. We don't have globs of varied relatives, but the few we have are certainly varied and colorful.

Beyond that, as we dance around or bonfire of rejuvenation, the people of the world are the same mess of conflict and exploitation that they always have been. Despite all the marvelous advances in technology, medicine, communications, science and understanding, many individuals and huge groups of people are still hoping to rape, rob, cheat,control, plunder, destroy and annihilate other individuals or other large groups of people.

We are very interesting creatures, with the capacity for language, reason, logic,and abstract thinking. Yet, as I can see from all the people who visit with me here in this cozy office, most people don't take advantage of those abilities. We are aggressive, and defensive. We rely primarily on habit and emotion; the more primitive parts of our brains.

Yet, there can be a lot of satisfaction in that; greed, lust and gluttony can bring great pleasure, especially at this time of year.

So dance on! Look, the sun is coming up!