by Georgie Bright Kunkel

    What would life be like without holidays? Very dismal I suspect. The human condition is fragile and without breaks now and then this fragility would be intolerable.

I often wonder what the creator was thinking when we humans were brought to earth with minds and hearts that are not strong enough to last through what is often put upon them. Instead of just tolerating or perhaps even crushed with what humans must face, religion was created to help the fragile human deal with it all. Holidays evolved to cheer us up. And still some people have to deal with more adversity than others. It doesn’t seem fair.  But then I must remember the saying, “Life isn’t always fair.”

    Every culture has had to salve the human psyche so that the human could tolerate the world so fraught with pain and suffering at times. It is amazing to me that so many brave and industrious human beings have emerged to contribute so much to the world. As they often say, there are two sides to the coin of life. As a very young child I wondered at the universe and thought deep thoughts about it all. I could never figure out how some people had to suffer so much pain while others seemed to live such charmed lives. I haven’t figured that all out even yet. I watch programs on TV that attempt to research the beginnings of humankind and how we humans have emerged to become what we are. Perhaps I should stop trying to figure it all out and just live my life without worrying about it all.  Holidays give us humans a break from such worry. We can gather with family and friends, break bread together and forget that we are just fragile beings stuck on a planet revolving around the sun.

    Yes, humans are miracles, right? We humans are capable of feeling emotions of love as well as hate. We have evolved through generations of learning and experience to become what we are. Some were given brilliance of mind but others never seemed to evolve into fully functioning beings. Even as a young girl I pondered over all this and could never figure it all out.  I still haven’t figured it all out. Luckily for us humans there were sages who helped us live with the uncertainty of the human condition and we have done pretty well so far. As my late father would often say when he saw people who were criminal, “There but for the grace of God go I.” I could never figure out why humans were relegated to such uncertain conditions. But then it has taken centuries of great thinking to try and figure it out and the riddle of the human condition is still present.

    We figured out that celebrating is necessary to uplift the human spirit. The many holidays that we humans celebrate are truly necessary to keep our spirits elevated. Even as a young child I could not understand why some people around the world live such disparate lives.  My family honored the human condition and as children we were taught to respect others. It was a shock when I learned about other places in the world in which human suffering was the norm. Why would a benevolent god allow such suffering? These questions have never been answered and I am still in awe of the universe which is so complex.

    Luckily we humans have created wonderful days of celebration and renewal. We learn that by reaching out we can receive great warmth and support. Life can truly be beautiful

if we are willing to open ourselves to this beauty. Personally I am grateful for all those who came before me to pave the way to my full life. Now it is my turn to open my heart to others who need my helping hand.  As I ponder all this I must get ready to leave for an evening out with one of my daughters and my own special friend. I am truly fortunate that I have such a full life. By being able to share with my readers I can pass on the warmth that has been offered to me from my family and friends.

That’s what life is all about, right?