Not to mention those scary ghost stories.
The dark, the Winter solstice, a time for stories; ghost stories in ancient
pagan traditions. Tell stories; I guess that is what we all did before television; and what
about before radios and recorded music?
What has life become? What makes life and traditions?
So few are connected to the simple practices of what it takes to live; to
simply survive. And to the telling of stories of how we have arrived to the
place we are.
How many stories does one read devoid of any such traditions or backgrounds
in the life or world of a character?
Hence the popularity of all those hallmark Christmas movies. There must be
hundreds and more being made all the time. We just watched a new one on
Christmas Eve, after delivering gifts to family.
It is about a common history, what makes us who we are. It is about the
larger context, where we fit in or not and why. Concepts lost in our modern
society.
These trends have translate into novels of dystopia, societies void of
liberty.
How shallow are the societies of most all science fiction? No holidays, no
traditions or days of commemoration. An example would be my current favorite
science fiction series: “The Expanse.”
How many stages of expansion into space should be recognized and commemorated
in perceived perpetuity? We have Thanksgiving here in the United States. We
honor figures such as George Washington, crucial in the birth of our nation.
Nothing, no one to commemorate, it all just happens. So much personal drama, all
about oneself.
Don’t get me started on music. Late on Christmas Eve, I was searching for
religious services on TV, eventually finding Christmas mass from the Vatican,
when I came across an infomercial for a soft rock collection.
It brought to light how void todays music is of truly meaningful lyrics. The
hair bands were the last hoorah for great music; lyrics insightfully reflective
of what makes us human.
Imagine Dragons; they have significant lyrics but are they too preachy? Every
artist has there moment. My wife likes One Republic. Personally I believe The
Band Perry has the most consistent meaningful and organic lyrics, more than any other
contemporary group I know of.
I do not know if Imagine Dragons ever made a Christmas song.
I watched “The Kids are Alright” a while back; about The Who. The Who is the
definition of Rock n’ Roll. I really appreciate their music these days and was
happy I could get to one of their concerts recently.
It also reminded me why I disliked them so when I was a youth; their total
irreverence and destruction of property.
Any who, watching Keith Moon play the drums was a great joy, unbelievable. We
all lose something when we do not allow or recognize people to be the best in
whatever they are doing.
Competition, another element in life not found enough in society these
days, or in novels. What people strive for defines… or are we to simply exist in
some empty void.
Of course the true Christmas songs are full of meaning and a reminder of all
it took for mankind to get where we are today, through God’s Gift and Grace.
Merry Christmas. Tis the season.
I hope you enjoy my reflections and you find them instructional, especially
if you are a writer, aspiring or otherwise.
It is not about you, it is about the lives God created us to live.
Thank you for reading.
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