‘TIS THE TGIM
FOR THE DAY OF
THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS
"It ain't rocket
science." You know the phrase, of course. Well, I have a social media friend – Randy
Cassingham – who actually worked at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
There, of course, many things really were (and are) “rocket
science.”
So as you might expect, there was a fairly nerdy crowd
working around Randy and there was a tradition of sharing a fairly nerdy
version of the Christmas classic properly titled “A Visit from St. Nicholas” – the 19th Century poem
historically attributed to New Yorker Clement Clarke Moore.
 |
A Visit from St. Nicholas -- one of four known copies handwritten by Clement Clarke Moore.Credit: New-York Historical Society |
Here’s the opening of Rocket Scientist version:
'Twas
the nocturnal segment of the diurnal period preceding the annual yuletide
celebration, and throughout our domicile, kinetic activity was not in evidence
among the possessors of this potential, including that species of domestic
rodent known as mus musculus.
TGIM Challenge: It’s interesting to think that virtually anyone
reading this TGIM message can easily appreciate the Rocket Scientist
“translation” because the original is so well known to English-reading folks of
all creeds, races or geographic derivations.
You don’t have to be “Christian” in almost any sense to know
and relate to the underlying spirit of the season captured and celebrated in
the 1823 poem or, say, Charles Dickens’s “A
Christmas Carol” which appeared about 20 years later.
They’re largely secular and about “the Spirit of the Season,”
not the religiosity per se.
TGIM Takeaway: And at this time of the year, so should we all be.
The specifics of our celebrations may vary. (Or, if you’re like me, you revel
in the idea of embracing as much of as many as you can.) But I continue to
insist that at the core –
It’s all about the
light. Beacons of hope. Moments of
illumination. Glimmers of insight. The
promise of brighter tomorrows. Miracles of light and enlightenment. Lights fantastic.
► Christmas
with its advent wreaths, trees, and other lighted decorations and –
► Hanukkah
(just past) and its menorah candles are easy to relate to for many of us.
► Kwanza’s
got candles.
► Diwali,
a five-day Hindu festival that usually falls between mid-October and mid-November
is popularly known as a Festival of Lights.
► Winter
Solstice observances are certainly all about the light, or lack of it.
► Mōdraniht
or Mothers' Night was the Saxon winter solstice festival.
► Saturnalia
was the Roman winter solstice festival.
► Yalda
is a Persian commemoration, that corresponds with the Solstice, and celebrates
the birth of Mithras to a virgin mother.
► Pancha
Ganapati is a December 21–25 festival in honor of Lord Ganesha.
► Soyal
is the winter solstice ceremony of the Zuni and the Hopi in the Americas, the
main purpose of which is to ceremonially bring the sun back from its long
winter slumber.
► The
Dōngzhì
Festival, with origins that can be traced back to the yin and yang philosophy
of balance and harmony in the cosmos, is one of the most important festivals
celebrated by the Chinese and other East Asians on or around December 22 when sunshine is weakest and daylight shortest.
► Malkh
is a December 25 birthday celebration and Festival of the Sun for the Vainakh
people of the North Caucasus which include the modern Chechens and Ingush, who
are today predominantly Muslim in religion.
► Bodhi
Day, December 8, is likewise a Day of Enlightenment, celebrating the day
that the historical Buddha (Siddhartha Gautama) experienced enlightenment.
Enlightening? I
hope so. Tis the season to be enlightened.
But enough of this “geeky” factual roundup.
TGIM ACTION IDEA: Know what you believe and why. Your core beliefs
need to be your own, arrived at freely.
TGIM IDEA IN ACTION: Like
exploring the history and traditions of seasonal celebrations, look for
evidence yourself. Dig down. Get back to the source as you gather facts. Make
your decisions based on your informed research and insight. Decide what works
for you and use it.
Then –
Don’t hide your light. It’s also a season for giving -- especially in my neck of the northeast USA in the wake of Superstorm Sandy and the tragic Sandy Hook School events. And in the spirit
of transitioning from darkness to light, one of the best gifts you can give at
this or any time of the year is –
The gift of yourself --
your love,
your time,
your thoughtful involvement.
Several years ago
my friend and “Best Year Ever” program and Life
Lessons from Superman partner Eric Taylor and I shared a holiday message
about this gift that keeps on giving. We pointed out that –
This enlightened
and enlightening gift of yourself is something that everyone wants … one size fits all …
requires no last minute shopping or trips to the mall … is essentially free …
and, no wrapping is required.
It’s that simple. But the gift of yourself is surely what those you
care most about and really want. And, when you ponder and understand the
fullness of the concept, you’ll know that it’s the only gift of lasting value
that you alone can give.
TGIM IDEA IN ACTION: Give
the enlightened and enlightening gift of yourself, your love and your time and
your involvement, unconditionally, now and throughout the New Year. You’ll soon
realize this cost-free present will yield an abundance of riches for the giver
and the receiver far greater than you could ever imagine.
One last cool thing about this gift: It’s a gift that’s sure to be “returned”
to you in so many ways.
What more could a giver ask for?
Citing St. Nick … as cited by Clement Clarke Moore … with
added emphasis by me –
“Happy
Christmas to ALL,
and to ALL a good night."
Geoff Steck
Chief Catalyst
Alexander Publishing & Marketing
Chief Catalyst
Alexander Publishing & Marketing
P.S. Or, to close
citing the Rocket Scientist version: “Ecstatic
yuletides to the planetary constituance, and to that self-same assemblage my
sincerest wishes for a salubriously beneficial and gratifyingly pleasurable
period between sunset and dawn!”
P.P.S. My personal kidhood version of the holiday classic looked like this --
and featured some "animated" illustration at every turn -- a double-page pop-up Santa, reindeer & sleigh that moved in the sky, sugarplums you could make "dance," hinged shutters that opened to a window that slid up to reveal "The moon on the breast of the new fallen snow." It was a wonder!
