12 Posts of Christmas: PDX Doesn't REALLY Suck...

(... though those of you currently struggling through the freezing temperatures Portland is going through might disagree with me. Not to rub it in or anything, but Maui's feeling pretty nice right about now...)

As I mentioned in the first post of this series, the holiday season is, to me, about "the human family turning away the dark and cold by enjoying the best that we have to offer one another." As Dickens said in A Christmas Carol, it's a time to drink deep of the "milk of human kindness" and celebrate the best of ourselves and those around us.

I'll admit it - that can be pretty hard to do, especially in the cold and dark winter months, when unemployment is high and the times ahead seem dangerous and uncertain... but there are always glimmers of light in the darkness - moments of joy that we can grasp in the pit of despair.

Even that Sultan of snark Robert Wagner, co-host of the daily internet radio show PDXSucks.com (live at 8:00 AM PST, or available 24/7 in podcast format) gets it. Those of you who follow the show (or follow me on Twitter) know that PDXSucks and I have an... interesting relationship. I'm not sure how it happened, but I'm on Robert and his co-host Sabrina's radar. Out of the blue, they started mentioning me on the show, and have even added posts about me and my career on their blog. I, in turn, started listening to the live stream and podcast regularly, and throwing a comment their way... which they mention "on air" from time to time... like I say, it's an interesting relationship.

Anyway, back to the holiday spirit... about this time last month, Robert added this blog post to the PDXSucks.com blog. It's not a "holiday" post, by any means - it's just a meditation on the inherent good of the people in our little town - a celebration of the human spirit rising to the challenges faced in these troubled times.

He might not have meant that post to be a holiday post... but it's that spirit of coming together that we celebrate at this time of year - whether you call the season Hanuka, Kwanza, Christmas, Weinacthen, or whatever, that light in the darkness that we all gather around is the light within ourselves; that spark that allows us to stand up together and warm each other before we head out once more to battle the chill that surrounds us.

So, take a cue from Mr. Wagner; look around. See the good in your city, town, village, or what have you. Think about the people who've found it within them to spread joy and happiness in the face of their own misfortune, and celebrate them and their accomplishments. That's one of the keys to happiness this holiday season.

Ok, enough schmaltz for one day... I'll see you next time!

-Harold