Albert's Perspective

I really don't have time for blogging this week. In fact, I've hardly had time to read other blogs this past week. It seems that during the month of December, time accelerates. One time our fuzzy-haired friend Albert Einstein made it a point to screw up everything I thought I knew about time. He indicated that time is all about perspective....that is, it all depends on where you are. He even mockingly said something like, 'If you are kissing a girl, time rushes by in a whirl. But if you are doing something that you don't like to do, like ironing, time drags by.' I don't think those were his exact words but it was something like that. But then Dr. Einstein started showing off with equations and stuff to point out that if I were traveling a zillion miles per hour, I would be dumb and happy but if I were to pay attention to others I would see that their time was flying by. I guess that is another way of saying my time would slow but from my perspective your time would speed up.

I think he was trying to explain December. My time has sped up dramatically so that means that something is whipping around real fast....and that can only mean that Santa Claus is making trial runs out there with his sled and speedy reindeer. I've heard that there are more heart attacks, more depression, and more suicides in the month of December. Now some of you will probably spout psych-babble about 'failed expectations' and inability to cope' as the cause. Not true. Start watching the sky at night. You will see flashes of light. Of course, there are science geeks that will pontificate about an approaching meteor shower. That's because they don't want to admit the truth. Those flashes zipping across the sky are Santa Clause setting his cruise control at a quadrillion miles per hour in a test run. As far as he is concerned, time is tick-tocking along at a calm measured pace. But when he looks down at us he will see that we are in a frenzy....all because of his joy ride. Our time is flashing by.

Don't believe me. Ha! Einstein said so....more or less....probably less....but what else can explain the fact that I don't have time to do anything?

There is an alternate theory -- time rushes when you are preparing for Christmas for seventeen people in an extended family that refuses to entertain the notion of 'drawing for gifts' or 'forget presents, it's the spirit that counts'. And then there is the job, and those fools expect you to work and work hard because it is the year end and budget status has to be ascertained and reports has to be issued and they refuse to understand that we have a seventeen person Christmas so they need to cool it.

But Dr. Albert always emphasized one thing. It is all a matter of perspective.

There are so many people that ache in their heart for a chance of a seventeen person Christmas. For them, time oozes very slow -- it is if their soul is an anchor that drags and prevents them from moving forward. So I guess I need to just stop. Think. Acknowledge. Understand how incredibly lucky I am. And be extra kind and generous to others that can't share my luck.

One year I spent Christmas alone. I was in a new town in a new little apartment and away from home due to an emergency work assignment. I found a little Christmas tree and string of lights. My ornaments were things from around the apartment....toilet paper strung around the tree....a nail clipper and spoon and a comb hanging as ornaments....no presents, so I put an iron and a salt shaker under the tree. I spent that Christmas Eve staring at the tree. Thinking. Reflecting. Not understanding why I was there. And lonely. In my heart I knew that I had a home and a loving family many miles away, but at that moment...I just stared at the tree.

Two weeks later I was able to return home and share a belated Christmas. But on the Eve of the real Christmas, I just stared at the tree.

So at this moment I am stopping. Reflecting. We will have a big Christmas with too much food and people chattering and all the organizational planning falling to the wayside and a lot of laughing and wrapping paper knee deep on the floor and grand kids beside themselves with excitement and when it is all over collapsing in a stupor. But somehow it is important, right now, to remember that little tree decorated with toilet paper.

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This is one of those throw away blog entries without much aforethought or beforethough and whipped together at the speed of Santa Claus flashing by. I apologize for technical and detailed Time Dilation discussions...and it's okay if you don't even read this. Well -- it is too late to say that, I guess.

But I hope your Christmas tree is a little bit bigger and shinier and surrounded by loving friends and family.