Advent Thoughts, #18

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The second virtue of Christmas is courage.  Something I lack, something I want desperately.  I err on the side of wisdom, which is often wussydom.

The other day I was checking out at Walmart (so sorry) and the man ahead of the woman ahead of me was scowling and fussing about something.  I thought, "the little checkout girl doesn't need that!"  So I asked her about it when I got up to my turn.  "I said Merry Christmas" she explained.  "He was complaining that he had been at the mall and no one said that, that I was the first one, and that we had let people take it away from us."  Well, he didn't look complimentary, but I was at least glad she wasn't being berated for doing her job and being kind. 

Saying "Merry Christmas" does not seem like a revolutionary act or an act that needs courage, only a good wish, but somehow it has become controversial.  A colleague has this quote by George Orwell in his office, and I want to adopt it as my own:   

In a time of universal deceit - telling the truth is a revolutionary act.

The first couple of Christmas were extraordinarily brave.  Might we be so, also. 

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