So This is Christmas

As usual, I am lacking focus. Today's post is about the jumble of stuff on my mind, and not really about one subject. Though I did try. I picked polar bears.

I love polar bears. When I was a little girl, I got one kind of white bear or another for Christmas. I think I like them because they're real. I hate snowmen because there is no snow here in Alabama. I think it's tacky when people fill their yard with inflated snowmen. There's the big, pretty snowman sitting on dirt or pine straw while people run around in shorts and t-shirts. It just doesn't look right.

This year, Coca-Cola is raising money to save the polar bears. I haven't checked into it, but I really like the idea. With global warming, polar bears now drown at sea because the ice is so far apart they can't find ice to rest on. I think this is the saddest thing ever. Polar bears live in so harsh an environment, we humans can barely venture into it. You'd think they'd be safe, but no, we've managed to screw that up. Shame on us.

We might get to the point where our grandkids think polar bears are just myths on Christmas cards. A world with no bears is a sad one indeed.

Polar bears are so suited to living in the cold that they do not show up on infrared film. They are so well insulated they don't give off body heat.

A former co-worker of mine grew up in Alaska. Her father used to take Tina and her sister to the city dump to watch the polar bears. I asked if that was dangerous. She said as long as you stay in the car you're safe. I see game wardens on television moving bears to other sites. We're so stingy we won't even let them have our trash.

Tina told me polar bears provided her family with hours of amusement because the bears are rather clumsy and stupid. She said they often get their heads stuck in buckets. It was better than cartoons.

I can see where it is a bad idea for bears and humans to mix. Since it looks cute, people think it's cuddly. My aunt has a picture of a man in the Smokey Mountains trying to pet a black bear.

The bear chased the man and tried to bite him. We have become so removed from nature we no longer understand it.

This year, I'd like it if every one made an attempt to save the planet. Mainly, I'd like for all people to use less. Less water, less electricity, less gasoline. Some people think we need to find alternate fuels sources. It's a great idea, but I think the time will come when we all must simply do without. We have designed the whole world to run on fossil fuels and even if we do find something to replace them, transferring everything over will be expensive. How many houses are all electric now? If you wanted to switch to wood-burning heat, could you afford to remodel your home to have a fireplace? Are you willing to cut firewood? Would you go broke buying wood? If you switch to a kerosene heater, can you deal with the smell? Everybody talks about fuel for our cars, no one seems to be working on how we would stay warm. And what about cooking? Growing your own food is great, but the food still has to be prepared. If the power grid fails, the microwave won't work.

I don't have any answers for you. I do not think there is a 'one size fits all' solution. I think they only thing we can do is realize what elements shape our lives and then try to imagine what we would do if those elements were removed. If we run out of gas, I can no longer drive to work. To me the question is not how to produce more gas, the question is how to live on a different kind of income, how to live on less income, or how to live on no income. Really, seriously, think outside the box. Did you know eggs can be kept at room temperature? If refrigerators suddenly ceased to exist, we may at first look for ways to refrigerate food, but eventually we would start eating foods that don't need to be kept cold. The pie safe might make a comeback.

I'm sorry, most of you probably don't know what a pie safe is. Here's a picture.

How much would our kitchens change? Would they get bigger? Smaller? More cabinets or less? Would the whole house change? Would rooms disappear, like the laundry room? Would we all have clothes lines? Could you start hanging out clothes now and make use of the sun? I used to live in a place didn't allow clothes lines. Why do we let other people dictate how we live?

All of these topics are mighty depressing for Christmas. But I think that is the point. Christmas is supposed to a winter celebration. Winter was hard for our ancestors. Winter for us is more of an annoyance. We are unlikely to freeze to death in our sleep. We don't have to worry about the fire going out at 3am. For us, Christmas is about how much money we spend. I saw a news story recently about a woman who thought she was putting purchased gifts into her car, but it turns out it wasn't her car, just the same make and model. She discovered her mistake when she emerged from the mall with more gifts. She had put $700 worth of stuff in a stranger's car. She was pleading with the person to return everything. What amazes me about this story is not that she unlocked the wrong car, it's not that the other person didn't notice (or decided to keep it all), what amazes me is she spent $700 and shopped some more. Did all that go on a credit card? Will she ever pay off that debt? How much of it is cheap trash made in foreign country and will fall part in a month? Please, People! Use less!

For me, the new year has already begun. At Halloween I start getting rid of what I don't need, don't want. This could be things, bad habits, or I might work to remove myself from unhappy situations. In December I start thinking what new things will enter my life. In January I start living my new lifestyle. Sometimes I do very well and sometimes I give up. All I know is it takes a long time to usher in a new year.

I think the best way to understand what shapes your life is to be quiet. In order to save the planet, I would like it if every day you spent a few silent moments alone. Write down what is bothering you. Look around your house, do you need all that stuff? Go outside, look at the birds, the plants, the bugs. Are there cars zooming by? How does that effect you? Does it mean trash in your yard? Constant noise? Keeping your pets confined to the house? Try to imagine living a completely different way, maybe in an apartment instead of a house (or trailer, or condo, or cottage, or even a tool shed). Would you like it? What if the store was farther away? Would that be a burden for you? Carefully observe it all. Only by being aware will you be able to change anything.