Anticipate

  Everyone seems to be in a hurry this year for Christmas. I'm seeing more decorations than ever, the pilgrims are being trampled. Well, I guess they deserve that for what they did. And now a days we don't have to give thanks for anything, after all, we are entitled to everything! Why, it's a constitutional right. If I don't get whatever I want or need someone is getting sued. And Christmas, well that is the time when I get what I want so let's hurry up. I'm seeing Christmas trees, fully decorated everywhere I go. Can all the outdoor light displays be far behind. 

  I am from a different time. Birthdays lasted one day back then, not weekends, a week or a month. Holidays occurred on the actual day of the holiday, That was before the "new" arrangement back in 1971 to make all of that more uniform. It was decided Monday was a better day for celebrating Washington's birthday, memorial day and Columbus day. Thanksgiving came before Christmas and was actually celebrated without a single Christmas decoration in sight. Not until St. Nick showed up at the end of the Macy's parade was any of that allowed. Ah, but the times they are a'changin'. 

  Seeing all these decoration I began to wonder what the big toy for the season is. It's been a long time since I had any kids young enough to be concerned with that. I do remember when it was the latest version of Atari that was hot. Then Play Station took that spot but I haven't heard much about that. I'm thinking today it is all gaming computers, I hear some about that. But, as I said, I'm from a different time. I remember getting a can of sticks for Christmas. Yes, and I was happy about that. A few years later it was some Tonka trucks and a bicycle. 

  I don't watch that much television, and no cartoons on Saturdays mornings, so I'm not seeing many ads for toys. What are the kids playing with these days? I haven't heard a thing about any of that. No cabbage patch kids, no dolls that wet their pants or guns that shoot around the corner. No GI Joe! I don't see any Chatty Cathy or baby carriages, no dream houses or easy bake ovens. Just what do these kids today want? I suppose whatever it is it is available on Amazon. You just create your list and share it. I'm not sure how all that works but I know my granddaughter knows all about that, but she is 22. A cyber child. The grandkids all think I'm just pulling their leg when I tell them the pocket calculator wasn't invented until I was a senior in high school. They wonder why I didn't just use my phone. 

  It is thirty three days before Christmas. I just got finished with my Veterans Day celebration and am looking forward to Thanksgiving. I do like to just take my time, enjoy one holiday at a time. For me it is like getting that candy on Halloween. At first I wanted to rush through it, eat it all at once. That ended in me being sick. I did learn over time to just spread it out, eat a select piece one a time, over a few days or weeks. I did discover it is the anticipation that excites you the most, the actual event usually goes by quickly, often disappointing. Actual events seldom exceed our imagination. 

  "People don't realize that now is all there ever is; there is no past or future except as memory or anticipation in your mind." ( Eckhart Tolle )