…They say appearances can be deceptive. They say talking in clichés is part of the problem of a mass society. They say the more we speak in cliché the more superfluous we become as a mass society. They say we need to find a common ground where we can come together as ourselves, admit difference and accept difference.

Being busy these past few weeks, I really didn’t feel like the holiday spirit had waved its sparkled wand over me, but the other morning restored a small part of my faith in the human spirit, and that the cliché/folklore “appearance can be deceptive” (probably, in fact, part of the problem of modern society’s alienation) is more true than I thought. I was walking to work from the parking lot the other morning, not a far walk, very short indeed, and walking down Albert St. was a frightening looking fellow, rather tattered in clothing, rather transient by appearance; for a moment I held my purse a little tighter, myself a little tauter, but upon passing me, the man simply said: “Good morning, Merry Christmas” and continued to walk past.

Sometimes we need to be reminded.

Good morning, Merry Christmas, Happy holidays. Enjoy.