Of Elections, Contentions, and on another note...Christmas

I just thought I'd pepper my post with pictures.

I am still thinking - I just haven't been writing. I need to work on that. It isn't for lack of having something to write about. I think it is a lack of doing things that are of lasting value more often! The things we write last longer than some of the things that we think we need to do. I am guilty.
It has been a crazy few months in the world. It seems that we have been faced with a lot of contention in the country. Obviously the election was a huge point of contention. It was frustrating for me to see the amount of hate put on my choice of candidate by others. But I know that the fingers can point both ways. The whole process is combative and I wonder what any of us really accomplish by fighting about such things. It has been interesting to read articles online about each candidate after and see that people still fight about it even though it has been resolved! I had some hard feelings for a bit, but I think all I can do is pray for our President to do his best and hope that he does. What good does my negativity add? None.

Special thanks to Ann Hepworth for the amazing pictures!

I have also found it easy to get upset at things that don't matter at school during the last little bit. I think I get upset sometimes because I am not expecting certain changes that happen. I am a guy that doesn't like to fix things that aren't broken. That is well and good, but sometimes change for the sake of change can help to enliven and invigorate a tired process. So, I guess there needs to be good reason. I also need better understanding of the people I work with. A little empathy and charity goes along way. I can work on that. I need to. People usually have a reason that they want or feel that they need things a certain way. While I may not always agree it is agreeable to at least try for an understanding.

The pictures may be unrelated to my post, but they're nice!

I think all this contention and negative is a waste of time and I feel foolish for getting caught up in some of it. Especially since we are in the Holiday season.
Election day was in November - a time to be grateful. So I may as well be grateful for what I have and what we have in this country. Things are not all okay with our country. Things need to be fixed and changed and it will take leaders with courage to do that, but we do have a great country. We have our freedoms.

Geez. I am a bit biased, but I have a good looking family.

Christmas is coming up soon. Last I checked it wasn't a time to put my personal feelings in front of everyone else's. Especially when my personal feelings probably don't really matter when all is said and done. If I look back when I am 100 and I am concerned with the few things that didn't go my way 70 years ago...I think I will have failed to learn essential life lessons.
Christmastime is a time to help others. To give. Most importantly to forget oneself. It is easy for me to get caught up in what I want for Christmas or even just for daily life. It is embarrassing really. Especially when I can think about people who live on my street and in my home that could use some Christmas cheer and Christlike service.
So that's it. My goal, then, for this Christmas is to be a bit of help for somebody else: At home, at school, at play, (A Sunbeam a Sunbeam...) in my job setting and in my community. Merry Christmas to all!