A Top Los Angeles Designer’s Thoughts on the Holidays
Early morning and I am seated at my desk. The clock is running slow this morning, not in a mechanically challenged sense, but in the way that water boils when it’s watched; my Christmas holiday it poised to begin later today. The list of things to accomplish before that magical moment swells and shrinks, and then swells again as I add and edit the tedious tasks still ahead.
The dogs have been walked, luggage is packed, breakfast is over and I’m leafing through a small reference book that I keep on my desk. On a page filled with philosophical quotations, Benedict Spinoza’s words find a landing spot in my head. “All noble things are as difficult as they are rare.”
Friendship is rare. Friendship is noble. Friendships are difficult. Spinoza was right.
Family (that delicious familiar emotional scent that says you are safe and whole) is rare. Family is noble. Family is difficult. Spinoza was right.
Festivities which have meaning are rare. After the 9th holiday party this December, I stopped counting; shortly after I stopped counting, I just stopped going. A party for a parties’ sake feels hollow to me. Help me understand that you care; give me a reason to care and now we have a starting point. Otherwise I may just stay home….. I think Spinoza was right again.
The sense of Home is rare. The sense of Home is noble. Creating a sense of Home is difficult. Spinoza was right.
Wherever you are during this holiday season and whatever rare, noble and difficult idea you are enjoying (or being challenged by) may I wish you all the possible joy and peace that this world (and Spinoza) can offer.
