'Tis the season...

There's a lot that can be said about the holiday season, particularly in regard to the commercialization of Christmas...but that's all been beaten to a pretty fine pulp as it is. This being my first holiday season as a retail worker, I have been seeing everything in a different light. Honestly, I woke up this morning and nearly forgot that Christmas was a day away. I have never celebrated Christmas in the traditional Christian sense...it has always been the "real" Thanksgiving for me, allowing time to reflect on good fortune and good company as well as on the slight missteps I may have made throughout the year. I seek ways to give back to the people I live and work with, largely by non-material means. Most of all, I try to bring out the lightness within everyone...if I can perk up even one smile on a person's (most likely a customer's) face, I've done my job. That goes for any time of the year, really. However, that isn't to say that I'm a pushover...I certainly do and will stand my ground when I see fit. Ultimately it's that genuine human kindness that I seek, both in others and, inevitably, in myself. The one lesson that the retail industry consistently reminds me of is that patience is a virtue, albeit one that can be tough to come by depending on the circumstances. When a customer gets visibly frustrated with the fine print on the back of the coupon crumpled in their clutches, or starts to get huffy when a sales associate doesn't bring them the merchandise they want fast enough, I begin to feel the same frustration, as do my other coworkers. We are human beings too, and some people like to forget that altogether. Treat us with kindness and at least some degree of respect and we will return the favor. We do not live only to serve you...we have lives, dreams, ambition and goals just like you. Seem inflated? Sure it does...but it all boils down to the human connection, the one thing that should be a priority above all of the trappings of credit cards, electronics, designer purses, etc. Ask yourself which of these truly feels satisfying: receiving all of the gadgets, whistles and bells that were on your wish list this year, or making at least one solid mental and emotional connection with another person? Batteries die, clothes fall apart, and trends fade, but you will never forget the conversations that you had or the sparks that you felt.

On that note, I send my best wishes to all of you, for the holiday season and for all seasons. Take care of yourself and the ones you love...and even those that you may not.