Smitten with Bermuda

Over the past two days, I have been trying to ride the Christmas wave, while not getting pulled under by waves of sadness. It has finally dawned on me that a surfer may not have the luxury of riding multiple waves at once- because each one takes hold of you; it can either help you float or make you sink. I am doing my best to enjoy the wonderful essence of Bermuda at holiday time, and it has been comforting- to see new things! I enjoy the i sland immensely, during the day. I venture out, meet people, enjoy myself... Yet, at night, for some reason, I have been getting the holiday blues. I miss my mom. What 'people' say is true- when you are coping with loss, the slightest thing can change your emotional trajectory- seeing Santa Claus, hearing a song, seeing a cute elderly lady that looks like my mom- you name it.  For this very reason, I was particularly glad that yesterday was Sunday. Yesterday, I woke up and went to church- an experience that is genuinely heartening...

Every now and then, we all should take time away to look at our own culture with binoculars. Looking at the United States, from Bermuda- its island neighbor, I have gained increasing clarity about my values over the past year. Why should it be any different at Christmas time? Perhaps to the contrary, it is more profound. As time goes by, we complain more and more about the commercialization of what is, in fact, a religious holiday- Christmas.  Come November 1st, we are bombarded with holiday ads, stacks of unsolicited  catalogs, Christmas music from every singer that has ever taken a breath, and pressure- to buy, to give, to decorate, to prepare, to bake, to look glamorous... In fact, there are so many kinds of subtle pressure on us, that we become a bit brainwashed, I think. Nina and I were raised in a  household that  revered the Christmas season, with a special focus on Scandinavian traditions. Our family has always held a traditional Christmas ...

When I travel to Bermuda, friends are understandably envious- even acquaintances. That is to be expected, because I am visiting a beautiful place in the world.  But, hey! If it makes you feel better- it isn't all 'sugar and spice and everything nice' all the time... On Sunday morning, I woke up feeling quite spry- even after the big party.  Linda, Lynn, Janie and I sat in the lounge drinking caffeine- laughing about the evening prior- particularly the silly snapshots and videos that had been taken to document a very celebratory event! My plans for 'the day after' included the Mistletoe Market at Dockyard (on the West End) and Caroling with the Dolphins at dusk- I could not possible miss that. It would be a nice relaxing day- taking in the island holiday vibe, at my own pace.  As I cuddled "island kitten" in the living room, I was contented that he remembered me from my summer stays, and let me adore him for a while, since he is generally...