If you are alone this Christmas....

Alone today for the first time in my life. No family anywhere around me and circumstances have made it so I cannot travel East this year, Very sad.. not going to be a good day for me. I do have two dogs so that will help somewhat.

I have been alone for years. I haven't put up a Christmas tree in years. I couldn't bring myself to it. There is too much going on in this world. It's impossible for me to be jolly in a world where money triumphs over justice and common sense, where children are killed in the name of religion or because some megalomaniac bastard thinks he's God. On 23 December, 300 people were bombed in Syria. A fighter jet against people waiting in line to buy bread. Blood stains on the rubble, body parts. No, I can't be jolly. They are people in the first place.

The Gulf of Mexico is no more. It's a dead zone. There is no way you can ever bring it back. There is no amount of money that can repair nature. Nature cannot be repaired, only preserved.

I wish I had the power to change things, but I'm just an average Joe who goes to work every day and who pays his bills. An average Joe who cares deeply about this beautiful Earth and the people living in it.

I pay a lot of taxes. But what good are they if they don't serve their purpose? Helping the needy, the sick and the weak in society. Instead, I see all that money disappearing in the pockets of the same corrupt bankers, politicians and corporate hawks.

To them, we are just assets. They will be eating at the fanciest tables and laughing through their hideous teeth, while somewhere else, not too far, families are struggling to get buy and children are wondering why Santa will not come to their place.

This world needs a makeover. It's something I think about every day. I spend hours wondering what I can do as an average Joe to contribute. I do small things, but I feel that its not enough.

There is good in people, everywhere. We need to get together and change things. The "officials" will not do it for us. The time to do what's legal has passed, we need to do what's right.

Merry Xmas to ATS.

reply to post by GArnold


Lots of folks here to talk to

Maybe write a thread on your fave subject? Or just reach out to someone in this thread and say hi?

Originally posted by NewAgeMan

for those who will..

And God Bless either way!

I have to bump this in case anyone might have missed it. It really moves me every time.

Anyway, it's been lonely this year. Just got back from actually going to the Catholic Church across the street (I can't seem to get away from churches, there's always one somewhere right beside where I'm living no matter what it would seem) for the midnight mass service. The choir was great, although you couldn't see them (they were situated in a loft "up above") and you don't get to sing along much at a Catholic church I discovered (I still hummed along anyway, for the resonant harmonics). It was nice though, very Christmassy and there was a nice vibe, it took a while to settle in, but it came, and I was happy to be present with others for something that for me is meaningful - too meaningful in fact..

I won't get into it in too much detail but for some reason, perhaps because I grew up around the church (both my parents became ministers of the United Church of Canada which is more liberal than many churches heck I didn't even have to GO as a kid, merely stopping in to ring the bell and then go collect my allowance which I'd use to buy cigarettes (to this day I can't give up the habit for the life of me lol) but for some reason Christmas and the spirit of Christmas has been a type of mystery to me that's haunted me and driven me over the edge on more than one occasion. In fact, this time last year, for the Christmas holidays through New Years, I was in the hospital with what I would describe as an authentic spiritual experience (lol), and no I didn't think I was Jesus, or Santa LOL, but I was going through some sort of profound, transformative experience, and I needed help and a safe place to do it. The food sucked for the most part, but the people were nice, including many of my fellow patients. For New Years, because by then they were already letting me out on day passes (each time this has happened to me, by God's grace I pass through the experience really quickly and actually better off in so many ways, so I call myself a born again and again and again Christian, quite literally) and because I had some extra money, I bought up a whole bunch of party supplies, chips, multiple types of dips, pop, the works and then upon returning, with the help of the others, gathering up trays and laying everything out, I (we) threw our own "internal" (as differentiated from the "outside world" with everyone boozing it up) mental ward News Years Eve Party.

Honestly, it was the best Christmas and New Years experience I've ever had, although I'm glad this year to be able to hang out at ATS while taking out my Christmas spiritual detective work on my avatar with the help of an ATS friend. lol!

And no I'm not crazy, that's the funny apart of it all - I'm sane because I had the courage to lose my mind at Christmas time and go insane to go into sanity. So many issues are bound up in Christmas, from family of origin to the brotherhood of man, to a heavy dose of seasonal effective disorder, and in some cases the only way to deal with it all is to just let everything drop and that's what I did, but by New Years I'd already come through with flying colors and my time spent with my newfound friends was absolutely precious and I did a good job in there ministering to them. In fact one "crazy lady" who I tried to help (I cried with her, over her predicament), once she got "clear" (it was like night and day) she came to me and looked at me with a smile and a twinkle in her eye and said "you are a disciple of God". It was the greatest compliment I've ever received in my life.

So while I'm happy to have avoided any sort of "breakdown" this year, on the other hand that mental ward Christmas to New Years experience of last year was truly one of the best Christmas' and New Years' that I've ever had, except when I was a little kid I guess.

Did I just go and share too much?! Oh well, it's Christmas, what can ya do?

Originally posted by WhereIsTheBatman
I have been alone for years. I haven't put up a Christmas tree in years. I couldn't bring myself to it. There is too much going on in this world. It's impossible for me to be jolly in a world where money triumphs over justice and common sense, where children are killed in the name of religion or because some megalomaniac bastard thinks he's God. On 23 December, 300 people were bombed in Syria. A fighter jet against people waiting in line to buy bread. Blood stains on the rubble, body parts. No, I can't be jolly. They are people in the first place.

The Gulf of Mexico is no more. It's a dead zone. There is no way you can ever bring it back. There is no amount of money that can repair nature. Nature cannot be repaired, only preserved.

I wish I had the power to change things, but I'm just an average Joe who goes to work every day and who pays his bills. An average Joe who cares deeply about this beautiful Earth and the people living in it.

I pay a lot of taxes. But what good are they if they don't serve their purpose? Helping the needy, the sick and the weak in society. Instead, I see all that money disappearing in the pockets of the same corrupt bankers, politicians and corporate hawks.

To them, we are just assets. They will be eating at the fanciest tables and laughing through their hideous teeth, while somewhere else, not too far, families are struggling to get buy and children are wondering why Santa will not come to their place.

This world needs a makeover. It's something I think about every day. I spend hours wondering what I can do as an average Joe to contribute. I do small things, but I feel that its not enough.

There is good in people, everywhere. We need to get together and change things. The "officials" will not do it for us. The time to do what's legal has passed, we need to do what's right.

Merry Xmas to ATS.

Hey there don't worry about nature, it will take the earth back when it's ready, even if it has to destroy us in the proses . But it will take it back. The house always wins.

Life is to short to dwell on the goings on in the world, especially the ones that are out of our control.
Try and make a difference in the world one little step at a time, help someone across the street. Get a homeless person a coffi and a roll. Let that old lady go infront of you in the que. make a difference to someone's life just by being nice. And if all of us could do just these little things, wow what a difference to the world we would make.

Have a good one everyone.

It costs nothing to be nice.

Pick up the phone and call someone you haven't spoke to in too long.

Great thread !

Here in denmark we have some host families that are willing to help those who are lonely on Christmas day, I think there was about ~300 host families and about 130 who signed up to visit one of these host families.

Its a great thing to see that more people are focusing on the human perspective and not just on presents and materialism.

Still, it's so sad to see when people have no friends or families to go to on Christmas (or any other day for that matter) - this is no doubt one of the drawbacks with our modern societies.

Some times people lies dead for months in their apartments because there are no one around them, I cant imaging how life would be with no one to care for.

Sometimes...we can feel alone in a room full of people.
Sometimes...we aren't alone...but would be better off if we were.
Sometimes...we realize being alone helps us appreciate everything more,
when we finally aren't alone anymore.
Sometimes...we aren't lucky enough to have functional families.
Sometimes...everyone that we loved is gone.

How many people have everything, but 'feel' nothing?
How many people have everything, but can't find happiness?
How many people have everything, but are still searching for something?
How many people have everything, but don't like themselves?

I was drawn to this thread tonight. I've read the whole thing.
You have all touched me! I feel bad because I won't be alone tomorrow/today.
I can feel your pain, sadness & heartache. I want to give everyone peace of heart & mind!

People today live closer together than ever before, but are more socially isolated.
Going about their stressful, busy lives. How many people even know their neighbors?
I mean, 'really' know them? The more people that are crammed into a small space,
the less they interact. Why is that? And so many have to live far from their families.

People running like they are on hamster wheels. Not knowing where they are going.
Not knowing why they are running. Never getting anywhere!
So many people aren't happy, but a lot of them can't tell you why!
We've all been fed the 'big lie'! More, more! Newer, newer! Faster, faster!
The faster we go, the more behind we get! Our relationships suffer.
No time to be ourselves or slow down & really live life!

Why do so many people think about TEOTWAWKI?
Is it because everything would have to slow down? And go back to being simpler?
Isn't that what we are all yearning for? A simple, peaceful life???

I wish there really were transporters. I would pick a beautiful, temperate spot.
In an out of the way place. That had a perfect view of millions of stars at night.
With a brook & waterfall nearby. Crickets & peepers doing their thing too.

Then build a campfire to sit around. And transport everyone there!
We'd have warm, or warming, drinks of choice.
And sit around the fire talking into the wee hours.
(I have always liked to hear peoples' life stories!)
No place to have to be. No clocks or phones, no bills, no obligations, no cares.
At least for now. Time would stand still until WE were ready to go back!

So until that day can happen...my WISH for you is....
A warm, virtual fire here on ATS. Where you can feel like we are all family.
And share or forget your problems....at least for a little while.
And know that we really do care. You are not alone. We are here for you if you need us!
WOQ

Just thought i'd pop in again to see how this thread was going, and thank you Nef for starting it.
I read though all of the posts, and i'm not ashamed to admit that it bought a lump to my throat.

Its never easy being alone at this time of year, especially when you have kids you don't see to often,
like i said in my previous post, mine go back tomorrow, so i'll spend my birthday on my own.

Its hard when you see family's together, laughing and loving, and your on your're own, if it wasn't for my kids, i don't know where i would be.

Anyway, thanks again nef, and a merry xmas to you all....lets all get though this together.

Peace....
Andy.

I am alone this Christmas, and I have cried a bit also. So nice to see this thread, so all us that are alone can realize how we are not so alone afterall. For some bizarre reason I have always believed in the magic of this time of year. I think it is the collected cheer, or love that is in the air. I am hoping this magic helps all of us that are alone to feel warm and know that we are loved by someone(s) somewhere out in this world. Cheers, and thanks ATS!

Thank you and Merry Christmas

I know there are many who do not have the luxury of being able to log-on
and chat to friends -as we do on ATS... I suppose there may be degrees
of what we call 'lonely'

But there's a conduit that scoffs at the internet spiderweb that spans our
globe, this particular 'wire' never suffers with 'buffering' and 'crashes' and
never needs concerns about grammer.

The heart. The heart of good people that think of others at this time of year.
And even if we squabble and make cutting-remarks through the year here on
ATS... that connection never 'goes down'

Merry Christmas to everyone... everyone and remember what good-ole' BIAD
always says 'NOBODY GETS LEFT BEHIND'

Edit: See...? I spelled Christmas wrong (and now it's corrected!)
All the best!

reply to post by andypb

Originally posted by andypb
and a merry xmas to you all....lets all get though this together.

Peace....
Andy.

It's like the Dec 21, 2012 thing, it'll be over before you know it, almost is already, the only problem and the sad part of it all, is that everything will then go back to "normal".

My prayer for the New Year moving forward, is for a higher degree of sanity and reason, and just plain 'ol good-willed, good-natured friendliness and more authentic and honest self expression, everyone's wound so damn tight amid all their concerns and worries.

I honestly hope that the new year will have something better in store for everyone, and by God we deserve it!

This has been a very special Christmas for some reason. For me, I'm declaring it the turning point of a new age and I don't care what anyone says because things just can't get any worse, and because optimism is the only rational response to the world as we find it in the belief that it can get better, not just economically but spiritually and psychologically.

When the human heart and mind changes shape it can never go back to its original configuration, so I'm very grateful both for Christmas as a shared experience the whole world over, and for all with the heart and spirit of lovingkindness that Christmas is all about in the final analysis.

This has been the best thread at ATS in a long time. Much needed, very refreshing!

Thanks for the community and the fellowship on this sacred and holy night (why it is I still cannot really say lol).


Merry Christmas, and Happy New Age,

NAM

reply to post by NewAgeMan


Thanks NAM, lets all hope for a new beginning and fresh start to 2013 for everybody.

Merry Christmas to you and yours.

Peace...

Andy.

I'm alone. Totally alone. No friends. No family. I've been a "shut in" for a number of years. The internet and sites like this are pretty much my only connection to the outside world. It looks like I will end up living on the street starting sometime in this next year. I am completely terrified.

reply to post by BeenieWeenie


Don't be. You'll be okay and in the New Year when everything works out okay
you can come here and tell us of how goodwill and wishes got you through.

Good luck my friend.

(I'm sat watching BIAD oggle at his/her reflection in a Christmas bauble!!)

fa la la la la la fus ro dah

I'll be sleeping in until 1pm, then making coffee, logging into my addiction (Lord of the Rings Online, Ysmyr on Brandywine server), and enjoying thoroughly my time - taking a break every hour to go outside for a cigarette, then...about 4pm, I'll crack open my beer and might have a light dinner of some microwaveable meal around 9pm (don't want the food to interrupt my beer buzz, gotta drink on an empty stomach), then will get all bleary and one-eyed around 4am, where i'll log off to get some sleep.
Yeah, no girlfriend this holiday - totally bachelor-style.

Cheers!

What a great thread and so human for once. I can totally relate to spending Xmas alone, it happened to me twice and it is not a nice feeling. Although i don't really like Xmas, everything is kinda forced, it is nice however to spent it with your loved ones. I learned that things can get easily taken away from you, it happened to me twice right before Xmas and this not a nice feeling. I am blessed that i have a lot of friends and family now to spend this time with and cherish every moment because i know hiw it feels. For all of you that are alone now i give you a warm hug, you are not alone.

ooooooooooooooooooo

Merry Xmas ATSers.

Lots of stuffing and jingley bells to all.