Category: Journal Entries

I think …… we should take a different approach toward this Holiday season this time around (and going forward for that matter).

Usually, we spend the season all in a crazy rush. We are shopping, planning, shopping, planning, planning, shopping, cooking, planning, meeting, shopping, shopping. Then by the time we get to the holiday we are exhausted. We don’t even want to eat the food we prepared. We do anyway, we eat too much, get tired again, take a nap, then BOOM, holiday over. Barely had time to connect with our friends and family. Is this really what we want? I don’t think so.

Instead, lets take it a little easier this year. No running around. Much less consuming. In fact, little to no shopping at all (yeah I said it). Give loved ones our time. Have some real communication, less planning.

Furthermore, lets devote some time to extend kindness to our fellow man. Whether it is by doing volunteer work for the poor, or just here and there during our everyday activities. Take the time to give time, help, or just some kind words to people. To ALL people. To the people around us, and to the people who need kindness so desperately.

Is this not what the holidays are really all about anyway?

We are all different people, with different belief systems. Varying values with regard to politics. Varying social classes. Varying lifestyles. I am understanding and respectful of all of these, but I believe we ALL can get behind, and practice acceptance and kindness.

Can’t we all just practice kindness?

It has come to my attention that there is a common misconception out there that being minimal is being frugal, being conservative. Nothing can be further from the truth.

To be Minimal means to only acquire and retain that which adds real value to our lives. Beyond that, there is no pre-determined limit as far as how much that is. It changes from Minimalist to Minimalist. Truthfully, there is no reason to even SET a limit. A minimalist focuses on people, and experience.

With that being said, a Minimalist may not hesitate to buy a round of drinks for him and all his buddies during a night out with friends, as this adds tremendous value to the occasion. A Minimalist loves to buy huge elaborate gifts for people if they know the receiver will get much value from it. A Minimalist could be inclined to drop serious dough on an all expenses paid trip to the Bahamas. These are all wonderful spoils that minimalists can enjoy and bestow on others.

Speaking for myself personally, my philosophy of minimalism is completely contrary to frugality. It focuses on living in the NOW, using our resources to get the most we can out of life. Filling our lives with experiences that give us purpose, growth, and joy. These experiences often cost money.

Spoiling ourselves is what makes life worth living! And thanks to minimal living, we have more time, money, and energy to do just that.

I have seen too many people who spend no money on any spoils, live a mundane life, no growth, no passion, just a desire to grow their bank accounts, try to pass themselves off as Minimalists. This is not being minimal, just cheap.

(I am posting this before Sunday in the spirit of the Halloween weekend)

Out of all the holidays, Halloween has got to be the most friendly one. The one that most embodies the spirit of love and community. Don’t believe me? Please hear me out.

First, let me say that this post is largely a response to a recent article I read about an elementary school that changed their yearly Halloween celebration/parade into a “Black and Orange Spirit Parade”, justifying it by saying that a Halloween Parade is not “inclusive” of all the students. The article was on CBS News. Massachusetts school drops Halloween for “black and orange” spirit day.

I find this upsetting, because Halloween happens to be the most inclusive holiday there is. It is not confined to any one faith, or culture. Heck, it’s not even confined to one country. It is literally FOR EVERYBODY. True, it has a big focus on the darker side of our reality, and this may be against many peoples beliefs. To this I have to say:

1. It’s fantasy …… not real. There is no problem with exercising the imagination a little and embracing our darker side for a spell.
2. If we believe that Halloween glorifies evil and violence, and we want to limit our exposure to it, then I suggest we first remove the television from the home. There are no evils greater than the evils men do in real life. And these evils can be heard about and even seen on TV all day long. Don’t get me started on video games.
3. It doesn’t have to be about the darker side. It is still ok to dress up our children as astronauts, firemen, doctors, or even a trees and obscure, but creative things.

While Halloween does not promote the spirit of giving and sharing like Christmas and Thanksgiving do, It does promote the spirit of community and creativity far better than they do. And truthfully the spirit of community is in very short supply these days, while the spirit of giving is just growing stronger and stronger every year. This is not for any sense of “love” mind you, but because the expectation is in place, and people love to get their “giving credits”. Big business promotes, and depends on this.

Christmas and Thanksgiving confine our kindness and love to our families and close friends; ya know, people we are already expressing kindness and love to. The tradition of Halloween however, has us going up to our neighbors homes (potentially strangers), and start up a dialog. Potential beginnings of new relationships. It is my opinion that the best “ice breaking” line we have here in American culture is: “Trick or Treat!”

Also consider Halloween costume parties. Now there are Christmas parties too, but most of them are confined to family and friends. ALSO, Halloween costume parties are far more friendly. This is just because everyone is in costume. Plenty of topics of conversation built in. Plenty of ice breakers: “Excellent costume man!”, “How did you get the wings to stay on?”, “How long did it take you to get that on”, “I would have never thought in a million years to make a costume based on that.”, etc.

The act of “Trick or Treating” (The very heart of Halloween) is not as prevalent as it was when I was a child. Paranoia is more prevalent instead. As we hear more about child abductions, and violent incidents, so many of us feel less safe taking our children out to do it. Over time this diminishes community relations, and creates a whole slew of other problems I won’t get into here. I encourage that we take back Halloween. Exercise more trust in our communities. Be safe, but be friendly, be kind.

 

Have a Happy Halloween

 

OOOO, and don’t forget to listen to my Halloween Radio Station: WHWR Halloween Radio. Available also on all mobile devices through the Radionomy app, and on the sidebar of my website.⇒>>>