Polar(ized) Express: Behold!(ings) in Our Midst

Behold! expect the...unexpected: A reminder (of what I shared with you here December 14th), mental setting, a pep talk while you are prepping, whether for the gathering you are hosting or obligated to attend, or answering the door, going beyond the obvious, or otherwise being surprised by who/what you might find...which is actually what the season is all about, eh? At least upon reflection, worth some reflection...The word itself ("behold") with or without the mark of exclamation, is one that is highly aligned with the theology of Christmas itself, with prepping the unsuspecting Mary (then Joseph, of course) and then the shepherds who were just going about the business of being 'good shepherds' in the proximity of Bethlehem (more on this later, probably tomorrow). We, ourselves, when we are not on the receiving end of such a message, tend to use this word sparingly, to bring another's attention to something worth paying attention to, even something remarkable, to engage another at a deeper than surface level. Here I use the word as well as some derivatives to bring your attention (once again timely, I think) to some strong psychological forces at play, that could either bring harmony or havoc to your holiday gatherings, to the festive tables that have been prepped with care...

Polar(ized), WE are: Besides the obvious ways we keep getting reminded of, how we are divided along political, vaccinal, geographical, ethnic...lines...as YOU and I prepare to meet and greet, it behooves each, in order to stay in the groove, to raise our (self)consciousness, as to how we are split😟 within as well as between (I know, not a popular topic of the moment, but wait...)...how we HOLD each other, beyond the hug (or are you still doing fist pumps, elbow bumps?), how I, myself, might at any given moment ,hold you...

In Contempt! Similar to the kind we have been hearing, witnessing, reading about on a national level, how SO-And-SO  is being held in contempt by Congress, due to their refusal to cooperate, who is being threatened to have the book thrown at them, or something like that...We ALL do this from time-to-time: refuse to cooperate as well as find those who refuse to align themselves with US, contemptuous! Something to consider, reflect on, even ahead of time...on the other hand, I might instead find myself holding YOU...

In High Regard😇😊: Those we sincerely look forward to seeing, the ones that we reserve our adoration, highest respect for, where we can spontaneously, unrehearsed, go beyond simply being gracious, not feeling forced into being disingenuous (a common state of engagement this time of year, but try to use this particular word with your company and you're likely to be looked at with a bit of...contempt)...Hopefully, those you will be seeing, obligated to engage, will include at least a few of these. Otherwise, WE will ALL enjoy each other's company however long we deem it necessary, even desire, if WE ALL practice...

4 STEPPING, Lightly: The fourth step, STEP 4, in formal "Recovery" program, includes "...taking inventory of ourselves...an actual inventory of personal shortcomings and resentments...which requires quite of bit of humility...how you engage pride, resentment, relationships..." ALWAYS in season, in my experience, and for US ALL, whether we are in formal recovery or about to STEP into a holiday gathering. Worth some consideration, in order to be considerate. For example, try, please try not to be late, not to hold things up, or your host may not hold dinner for you.

Behold, I bring You good tidings of great JOY...



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