Tag Archives: Reflection

On My Mind

The Proof is in the Pudding, or How a Google Search Proves Just About Anything

1 Comment

I heard a radio interview this morning in which an insurance agent said that there can be an increased risk of fire during the month of December (which, newsflash, hasn’t started yet) from “candles around Christmas trees or holiday trees.”

There is no such thing as a holiday tree.

Let me show you. I performed a Google image search on three phrases:

Exhibit A: Christmas Tree

christmas tree

Exhibit B: Holiday Tree

holiday tree

Google, naturally, figured out what I was doing and helpfully offered Exhibit C: Holiday Tree vs. Christmas Tree

holiday tree vs christmas tree

I understand that people are trying to be politically correct, but talking about “holiday trees” means that we don’t understand a) our own religious traditions, b) that difference is important, or c) that not everyone needs to celebrate Christmas to be happy. People who celebrate Christmas put up Christmas trees. People who don’t celebrate Christmas don’t. It’s as simple as that.

Please, by all means, wish me a “Merry Christmas” in a store. That’s fine. You’re simply saying, “I wish you joy, I’m looking forward to my holiday, and I hope you feel the same.” Feel more comfortable with “Happy Holidays”? That’s fine, too. But please don’t think you’re being considerate by ignoring all of my religious traditions and assuming they must be the same as yours, or that I want them to be.

Political correctness has a time and place, but it should not lump everyone and everything together. Assuming everyone has the same traditions devalues difference. Difference is what made our world, and we need to acknowledge and respect it.

On My Mind

Food for Thought

Leave a comment

As loyal readers have gathered, I generally post images and sometimes I mix photography with life. The more astute readers may have also recognized that I often use quotes to describe what others have already articulated so eloquently. Why reinvent the wheel, right?

In lieu of a photo today, I wanted to share some favorite quotes that have followed me (sometimes insistently, sometimes in spite of myself, and sometimes as mantras) through various experiences. I have a scrapbook of comics, articles, and other inspiring/entertaining things with pages and pages dedicated to quotes, but I’ll limit myself to seven.

Did you know that seven is the longest sequence that, on average, the human brain can recall at a time? Really. Click here. That’s why North American phone numbers are seven digits. Sorry. I used to teach psychology. Okay, quotes (in no particular order):

1. “You have to be yourself. Be very honest about who and what you are. And if people still like you, that’s fine. If they don’t, that’s their problem.” – Sting

2. “An insincere and evil friend is more to be feared than a wild beast; a wild beast may wound your body but an evil friend will wound your mind.” – Buddha

3. “Believe that life is worth living and your belief will help create the fact.” – William James

4. “Life consists not in holding good cards but in playing those you hold well.” – Josh Billings

5. “In three words I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life: It goes on.” – Robert Frost

6. “If I am not for myself who will be for me? Yet, if I am only for myself, what am I? And if not now, when?” – Pirkei Avot 1:14

7. “The true test of character is not what we know how to do, but how we behave when we don’t know what to do.” – John Holt

That’s probably enough imparting others’ wisdom for today. If you have good ones, please pass them along! Hope you’re all having a great week!