I Need Christmas

My family's Christmas tree. 

As you know—because I've really driven it home by now—it's my favorite time of the year. I'm having a hard time narrowing down what to write about. I have so many thoughts and so much to share.

I had a great Thanksgiving at home in NC with my parents, celebrating another Panthers' win and enjoying what came to be known by my mother as "that damn turkey." I have partaken in numerous festive activities around our nation's capital. I have Instagram-ed every beautiful Christmas tree I come across. I've decked the halls, wrapped the presents, and played Kelly Clarkson's "Wrapped in Red" album on repeat for a solid month....and it's only December 9th. Yet every time I post those pictures, talk about that damn turkey, or tweet about some ridiculous Christmas movie to which I've devoted an evening, I feel guilty. It all seems so frivolous and insensitive at a time when our country seems to be so very mad.

Have you ever looked up the definition of "mad"? These are the top three:

mad

adjective, madder, maddest.

1.

mentally disturbed; deranged; insane; demented.

2.

enraged; greatly provoked or irritated; angry.

3.

1. abnormally furious; ferocious:
   a mad bull.

Anger? Insanity? Yep, sounds about right.

Everything seems mad right now. Everyone seems mad—some for the right reasons (in my opinion because it's my blog) and some for reasons that are bigoted and hateful. We're angry and scared. There are people being killed because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time (a time when we desperately need gun control laws. Again, my blog.) Public figures—people who want to lead this great nation—are spouting hateful, dangerous messages that endorse unfair and inexcusable prejudices. We grew up hearing the old adage, "Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me." 

That's some BS, y'all.