This much we know: the 5,125-year-long count cycle of the Mayan calendar ended yesterday and the world did not.
For our planet and most of us on it, life marches on.
Something somewhat spectacular did happen yesterday, though, as it does this time every year: winter arrived. It set in as the earth achieved its maximum tilt away from the sun, at 6:12 a.m. (Atlantic time), on the shortest daylight day of the year.
So daylight hours are now getting longer again, we’re getting set to celebrate Christmas and a New Year is right around the corner.
While not many people really believed the world would actually end yesterday, here’s a bit of reality: we are slowly but surely destroying the very planet on which we live, and the expiry date gets moved closer to us with every bomb that’s deployed and every water bottle or piece of garbage we discard.
We need to treat our environment and or neighbour better during the next long-count cycle.
And this is Christmas
Here are a few ideas for people still trying to finish up their gift list:
Bake up a dozen or so extra chocolate balls, or an extra meat pie, and deliver it to a neighbour who is lonely or sad this Christmas season.
Prepare a handmade gift certificate with a promise to shovel the grandparent’s step and walkway.
Manke an offer to take turns driving a neighbour to chemo treatments or doctor visits.
Get a group together and go caroling.
Make a promise to one’s self and one’s family to drink less over the holidays and to spend more quality time with loved ones.
Plan a movie night or games night at home.
A gift doesn’t have to cost a lot and be wrapped with a fancy bow to mean a lot; it just has to come from the heart.
