Smitten with Bermuda

I returned to Bermuda in December, to cap off a year that was transformative for me. I looked forward to celebrating my birthday amongst new friends  and graciously accepting a divine birthday gift from my family- the opportunity to create my own fragrance at the Lili Bermuda perfumery! It is no secret that I have always loved perfume, which is not to say that I necessarily have good taste! As with wine, how does one know when one has good taste? Does it matter whether you like expensive bottles, or does it only matter what tastes (or smells) nice?  One thing is for sure. There are scents that accentuate who we are, and those who detract from who we are!  It is quite funny to go back and think about my history, with regard to fragrance.  During my youth, I splashed on  Love's Baby Soft , purchased at the local pharmacy. What could be better than smelling like a clean, powdery baby? Or so I thought... In high school and college, it was  Anais Anais ...

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 ...