Yes, once again, my Christmas Card is posted before Easter Sunday! This makes Four Record-Breaking Years in a Row! 😉 In a time-honored tradition of MidWinter Christmas Stories, I offer you a tale to enjoy. Please make yourself a nice cup of tea or hot cacao, curl up, and maybe just enjoy this brief period of time together, celebrating who we are, and the Magic of our Humble Lives… Wishing You Christmas Magic Every Day of the Year, and all the Bountiful Blessings of Winter… (more…)
All posts in category Holidays & Celebrations
In the Days Following…
The Tree at Rockefeller Center, during one of its last days on display
Yes, I know.
Christmas is over now.
I have pushed it as far as I can — all twelve days.
There are those awesome folk in Norway who keep it going through tonight
and I LOVE That!
But here, I expect that the full twelve days through January 6th is about as far as one can expect to take it.
And I have enjoyed the Full Ride.
Our Contemporary Culture seems dismissive of those of us who Celebrate Fully.
Christmas Day is a Day, and Get on with your Life!
And to that I say, “What Life?”
The Celebration of Kindness, Peace and Joy is my Life!
Acknowledgement of the presence of Angels is My Life!
I’ve no desire to toss all of that aside quickly to get back to working and winter and Non-Festive Things!
I have enough days of Non-Festive Things!
And so I have reluctantly taken down most of the decorations and garlands… (more…)
Posted by Arnold J. Mungioli on January 13, 2017
https://livethequestionsnow.com/2017/01/13/in-the-days-following/
Happy Eleventh Day of Christmas!
Still Celebrating.
Still Enjoying.
Still in search of Peace.
Still getting in touch with all the Myriad Ways we can feel God With Us!
Deep Breath…
Monday was that unusual Federal Holiday celebrating New Year’s Day because January 1st was on a Sunday this year,
So it felt like an Extra Day!
It was nice.
Many People chose to take down their Tree and Christmas Decorations, as it may have seemed to them an ideal time to make that happen.
Not to me!
Monday was the Eighth Day of Christmas!
Today is the Eleventh Day of Christmas!
(more…)
Posted by Arnold J. Mungioli on January 5, 2017
https://livethequestionsnow.com/2017/01/05/happy-eleventh-day-of-christmas/
New Year’s Eve Reflection
Another Year draws to a close
And a New Year Begins…
I have heard people talk about what a terrible year 2016 was and how glad they are to see it Over.
Well, maybe.
But 2016 was not All Bad,
Beginning with BARACK OBAMA’s Inspiring Final State of the Union Address
And ending with the poetic death of DEBBIE REYNOLDS following her daughter
(I do not see Death as a Bad thing, merely a fact of Life. And to die with Such a Poetic Touch is a Gift so rarely witnessed in this world.)
2016 gave us…
(more…)
Posted by Arnold J. Mungioli on December 31, 2016
https://livethequestionsnow.com/2016/12/31/new-years-eve-reflection/
Worthy Recipients
Just placed into the stand, and undecorated, five days before Christmas
What an Imperfect Holiday, eh?
Whew!
I have been Way Behind.
Christmas was four days ago, and I’m still Way Behind!
Today is the Fourth Day of Christmas.
A reminder: December 25th is Christmas Day and December 26th is the First Day Of Christmas… the Twelve Days culminate in the Feast of the Epiphany (sometimes known in the United States as “Little Christmas”) on January 6th — the Twelfth Day of Christmas!
And so I take a Breath, and I remind myself that nothing is Behind.
No one has failed.
We are simply in the midst of it all!
As Always, Everything happens in the Perfect Time-Space Configuration.
In fact, this is still the first Half!
Breeeeeeeeeeeeathe…
Now pause with me, and take another Deep Breath.
Deeeeeeeeep Breeeeeeeeath…
Take two or three, if you like….
Mmmmmmmmmmmmm…
(more…)
Posted by Arnold J. Mungioli on December 29, 2016
https://livethequestionsnow.com/2016/12/29/worthy-recipients/
Choose Christmas!
Fixing a cup of Sugar Plum Spice Tea …Takes only a moment!
I am very much a Christmas Person.
I Love It!
All of It!
I Love the Brightness of the Faerie Lights at the onset of Winter!
I Love the Kindness!
It also helps that my Partner is the Living Personification of the character of ELF that WILL FARELL played in the Movie.
I Love the Madness of Family Get Togethers —
Seeing Relatives I haven’t seen in a year, when I am at my absolute worst — Tired and Bleary-Eyed and Feeling Overweight!
I Love the torpid wee hours of the morning wrapping presents for people I Love!
I Love creating some inspiring Christmas Card story that doesn’t usually manifest until Valentine’s Day or sometimes Easter!
I hate SantaCon.
Last WeekEnd was SantaCon.
One of many Drunk Santa-Con-Artists passed out in Penn Station last Saturday for the children to see
C’mon! Using Christmas as an Excuse to get drunk and fall down in the street, plastered.
It seems ingenuous, Reactive — not in keeping with the Spirit of this Holiday — taking a hatchet to the Holiday and smashing it just for the sake of ruining it,
They were out in ill-fitting Bright Red Suits and wreaking a bit of havoc, creating a kind of PottersVille.
I Choose Bedford Falls!
I was spending time with MAMA who is approaching 90.
I choose “IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE!”
And that’s the thing: You get to choose!
Do you wanna’ run through the snow calling out, “Merry Christmas, You Beautiful Building And Loan!!!” or do you choose to sit at your desk and count your money and snarl like a curmudgeon, “And a Happy New Year to you! In Jail!”
It’s Your Choice!
Christmas is just a Week Away.
Create the Christmas you would like to have!
You want Bright Lights?
Hang a string — takes five minutes!
We wear our Christmas Socks to Work! It brings us Cheer!
You want to have a Lot?
Give a Lot!
As THE COURSE IN MIRACLES tells us, “Having rests on Giving, and not on Getting.”
Want to feel some Christmas Spirit?
Go and Help someone in need.
Offer some Kindness.
Create some Holiday Magic where it is least expected.
…Can be a simple thing!
Nuthin’ sayin’ we can’t don a Santa Hat while we work
Commercially, the Season is rushed to create a kind of buying frenzy.
But Actual Christmas?
It happens Simply.
And without Pressure.
It’s Fun.
It’s not a StressFest.
It’s a MagicFest!
Sometimes we pause in the middle of work to listen to our friend & colleague’s favorite Christmas Carol from when he was a Child — This is us on the “Ole’ Ole’ Ole'” part
When I was a kid, the Tree went up Christmas Eve.
(SANTA brought it!)
There was no “Black Friday.”
(And if there was, nobody paid any attention to it!)
You didn’t even think about Christmas until around December 15th…
Then, all of a sudden (and at the same time feeling it had taken forever to arrive), there was a rush of excitement…
‘In just over a week, it’s Christmas!’
You began to make a List and shop for some presents.
You might decorate a little bit the weekend before — certainly not more than a week in Advance!
SANTA brought the Tree.
It was simply decorated and went up Christmas Eve Night.
You would often Make Gifts!
MOM sewed and DAD assembled toys.
It was FUN!
It was MAGIC!
And there was No Pressure!
It was something you did because you wanted to do it!
It was all focused around the day itself.
The SEE’s Candy Order arrived last night! Ready for Treats…
So, if you’re like me, and you are Crazy Busy at Work right now and feeling like you are way behind because you haven’t started it yet,
It’s Not Too Late!
In fact, you’re Way Earlier than we used to do it!
So have your Christmas!
Choose Christmas!
It is yours for the Taking!
…Yours for the Making!
Maybe you wanna’ bake a batch of cookies or Pumpkin Bread this Weekend?
Maybe you wanna’ pick up a Christmas Tree and decorate it?
Maybe you wanna’ Volunteer at some Holiday Event at a Soup Kitchen or Homeless Shelter?
Maybe you don’t have 60 days to prep for Christmas,
But maybe it doesn’t take that!
It’s still over a week away.
In the Sixties, we were just beginning to think,
“Hmmmmm…. What would I like to do for Christmas this year?”
A spontaneous purchase while at TRADER JOE’s — There will be some Kissin’ this Christmas!
# # #
Posted by Arnold J. Mungioli on December 16, 2016
https://livethequestionsnow.com/2016/12/16/choose-christmas/
Half Holiday, FULL JOY
I Love Christmas!
I was never one to give a sweater or a tie as a Christmas Gift.
I never could make much of Black Friday Sales.
Gift-Giving, to me, is a way to reach out to someone,
Take them in,
Touch their Heart,
Express to Friends and Loved ones that they are Known and Loved…
Gift-Giving to me is an Opportunity
To Elate
To Delight
To Bring Joy
To Say Out Loud, “I LOVE YOU!”
To acknowledge that we are all in this Together
To make you feel that you are not Alone!
How to accomplish that in this current climate?
Let’s just start where we are.
(more…)
Posted by Arnold J. Mungioli on December 7, 2016
https://livethequestionsnow.com/2016/12/07/half-holiday-full-joy/
Giving Thanks, 2016
Me and MOM at GivingThanks Day, 2014
Has there Ever Been a More Welcome Holiday!?
Has there Ever Been a Better Time?
Pause and Give Thanks!
STOP!
BREATHE…
Let us Take a Moment and Just Be Grateful for What We Have!
Give Thanks to God
Or The Universe
Or Each Other
Or Whatever Divine Force You May Believe In
Or Just to The Air
Or the Sun
Or the Moon!
Just Speak It!
Just say it OUT LOUD,
Even to No One, in particular!
Just say the Words, “Thank You!”
(more…)
Posted by Arnold J. Mungioli on November 24, 2016
https://livethequestionsnow.com/2016/11/24/giving-thanks-2016/
On the Border of Us and Them
from THE COURSE IN MIRACLES
I don’t want there to be an “Us” and “Them.”
I am trying to avoid that path of thinking.
UNITED States!
UNITED States!
Stay UNITED!
Trying to get on with my Life and get back to Writing and Working and Taking Care of MOM,
Casting Shows, and Being Present in my Teaching, and Organizing for Christmas, and Cooking for GivingThanks Day…
I have to make Apple Sauce!
(I know. Who does that!?)
I go back and forth
Between my Fundamental Belief in the Good of People
And Trying to pick Myself Up Off the Floor from all of this!
(more…)
Posted by Arnold J. Mungioli on November 20, 2016
https://livethequestionsnow.com/2016/11/20/on-the-border-of-us-and-them/
A Day for Fun…
Halloween.
Let it be a Day for Fun!
Silliness and Treats and Creativity and Imagination…
Halloween is about Social Activities.
MOM had a Costume Lunch at the Senior Citizen’s Center on Friday.
I found her a Fabulous Witch Hat.
And she seemed to enjoy that!
I asked how it was, and if she wore her Hat.
“YES!” she replied, “And my Orange Coat! Betcha’ didn’t know I even had an Orange Coat!”
(more…)
Posted by Arnold J. Mungioli on October 31, 2016
https://livethequestionsnow.com/2016/10/31/a-day-for-fun/
Live The Questions Now 