Blue Christmas

It's been the shortest day of the year today, "Winter Solstice" , in the northern hemisphere. Christmas, whether it's the 24th or 25th for you, is just a few days away now.

While waiting to join the memorial for a dearly departed friend, I had some time to sit at a Starbucks and contemplate life while observing passers by. I noticed that Starbucks hasn't made that much of a fuss about their Christmas design this year. There was no tree, no fancy snow flakes stickers on the windows and even the coffee cups weren't really saying anything.

My drink of contemplation, the famous Black Americano

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There's something different about the approach of Christmas this year. The usual frenzy and cacophony are missing. Everything seems a little muted. I don't know if it's the rainy weather we're having, but being England, I don't think that should make any difference.

It may also be me. Perhaps I'm muted. I'm less excited about everything this season.

Maybe the political climate got to me a bitt unknowingly. Maybe it's just less exciting this year. People went about their business, umbrellas in hand, wearing a peculiar dullness on their faces. There aren't many smiles around. There's an aura of melancholy in the air.

Perhaps people already have the winter blues. Winter has only just officially begun though, so that's a pretty bad thing. If that is you, and you're feeling blue, don't be blue all by yourself. Talk to someone, please. You may be surprised just how uplifting it is to talk to another human.

It also helps to get out of the house as much as you can, even in this terrible weather. It's very easy to conceal yourself indoors, especially if you work from home, and shut out the outside world. Even in the Starbucks coffee shop I was sitting in, there were only two groups of people talking to each other. Everyone else was locked away in their own world - earphones in, eyes glazed over.

It reminded me of the café I once found myself in in Finsbury Park, London, where they practice a "No screen Saturday". That's no laptops, tablets, smartphones or any such devices. Instead they encourage chit chatting with other people, reading a book, or day-dreaming. What a great idea. Annoying for me on the day (because I didn't know, and I had work to do, and I found out after having already bought my coffee), but a great idea nonetheless.

We need to bring back live conversations I think - actually talking to people. Actually listening to other people.

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The joy of blogging

Some times I look at this blogging thing as an outlet. I think many people see it the same way. This is why sometimes it's great to just write down your thoughts even if there's nobody reading. It's a way of formulating them and putting them in order.

I always tell people to keep a video diary, even if they don't publish them anywhere. It's an easy to consume way of recording your thoughts for the future. I have hundreds of videos that I've never published, but are sitting on my hard drive, or published privately on YouTube. I think the process of making a video, or writing a blog, itself can be therapeutic.

So, bloggers, don't stop writing even if nobody is reading.

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Peace and Love ✌🏿
Adé

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