DECEMBER

Let me just say this. Christmas. I have always known it as Christmas and I like that. It means warmth and friendship and peace and happiness and family.....and memories. Happy memories.

If some people want to call Christmas something else, good luck to them.......as long as their chosen name for the day and the season represents peace, love and happiness. Don't darken my door with sarcasm, boohoo platitudes or threats.

I was raised as a Catholic and I have no shame or regret in that upbringing. My mother was (is) the greatest woman I have ever known, for reasons that can be found in blog posts and published articles in recent times. She had faith to comfort her and I always had faith in her. Still do.

My lovely sister has a birthday in December. My big brother died in a road accident in December. My mother passed away in December. But Christmas is in December and should be cherished for all its happy and sad moments.

If I drink a few more glasses of wine, eat a few more snacks, nibble more chocolate, watch more sentimental TV than I normally do, overdose on sweet music, then that's my business.

At a point in the Christmas/New Year days, I will be amongst some of the people I love and cherish, not least my two remarkable, exceptional sons. When I grow up, I want to be just like them.

I know how I got here. I know what I am. I know what I should be concerned about and wary of. I know this world has dark shadows but also some blinding flashes of brilliant, hopeful light.

I have contacts out there in social media who tip their hats or give little nods to some of my meandering thoughts and a few, precious people who give me nudges of genuine encouragement in my efforts as a qwerty slave.

I wish each and everyone a very happy Christmas (Whizzlepuff Day, if you prefer) and a New Year that sparkles with the zing of optimism.

The bastards hijack the headlines but the heros and heroines and the everyday-get-on-with-it people outweigh them by several tons.

Onward good, honest, decent, trustworthy folks. You are the future.

Have some joy!