Balderdash

We are upon that time of the year when it's completely acceptable to pretend.  People pretend in holiday figures and stories.  For example, I shared a list of "Christmas" movies from Vogue over time to watch, and there was more emphasis on Santa Claus than religion.. Indeed, almost no holiday movie will ever mention Jesus, and that makes sense with as little historical connection to the once pagan holiday to a specific religious figure.  Don't get me wrong, I think it's great.  I'll watch holiday movies, go to holiday light displays, and I already have my tree lit.  My choosing to step away from judgmental Christianity will have no impact on me at all in celebrating a holiday more created by Coca Cola in modern society than any church. 

Society also loves to pretend all is right in the world and that they care for those that are not, despite an election long attack on the very least of these they now say are worthy of holiday donations but not tax dollars.  They pretend we get along and are unified, despite one of the most bitterly divided sets of values I've known in my entire lifetime.

But, I think it's perfectly fine to pretend.  Sometimes, a completely fictional movie or book can have more REAL impact on your life than listening to the series of doubts and fears that surround you.  Pretense can be very good, when people dress up like holiday figures as a way of loving people and themselves.  If only those same people gave people the right to dress in ways that gave them the same feeling, year round, the world would be a better place.