Coot Thoughts

{coot – a foolish or eccentric person, typically an old man}
 
The merchants began murmuring mid-September,
each year now a tad earlier, mammon’s metropolis
slowly swallowing up the neighboring months until
soon and very soon there’ll be nothing but 365 days
of light and trite, an eternal Kinkadian non-rhythm.
As a child I heard of the coming Anti-Christ, a man
hellbent on deceiving the nations. Now that I’m older
I’m inclined to bet the threat more spirit than man, a
coming Anti-Christmas, the devilish collapse of time
and boundary and season. Verily I say if that pall is
spread it will be impossible for Christmas to be the
most wonderful time of the year for we shall dwell
in a bastardized Narnia where Christmas is everyday.
 

*So I wish you and yours a rich and blessed Thanksgiving. Celebrate the time fully as is fitting; there is much, my friends, to be thankful for. Then start the carols and step into Advent…but not before.

Cooterly yours,

John


 
 

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7 Comments

  1. Susan on November 18, 2012 at 7:15 pm

    And all God’s people said, “Amen.”

  2. katie on November 18, 2012 at 7:24 pm

    Amen. I’m all for turning this whole holiday gauntlet from rush-rush into hush-hush.

  3. Diana Trautwein on November 18, 2012 at 9:29 pm

    Holy hallelujah and amen, brother. Lord, save us from the demons of trivialization and commercialism, which, when joined together in a decidedly unholy union, threaten to dis-member us, limb from limb. Like to frame this one, man.

  4. Rich on November 19, 2012 at 12:28 am

    Nothing cootish here…and I’m an expert!

  5. patriciaspreng on November 19, 2012 at 1:18 am

    Yes, and amen. Sharing this one, John.

    Love, ‘Ol Biddy
    (a fussbudget, especially a fussy old woman)

  6. Kelly Hausknecht Chripczuk on November 19, 2012 at 1:33 pm

    I don’t know, Old Man, sometimes I need a little advent, a little longing hopefulness, a little darkness brooding and “love lights gleaming” to remind me of that for which I’m waiting – to remind me that none of us are home yet. This, of course, is not what Kohls or Target are selling, but forgive me if I do let the lights and shiny ornaments or better yet, the Charlie Brown Christmas music on Spotify, remind me of what’s worth waiting for. Even the thrift store I visited this weekend had a whole aisle of old, discarded Christmas baubles once held dear by someone somewhere, one of the most melancholic displays I ever saw and perfect for stirring up that desire for Home that lies at the heart of our waiting.
    Sincerely,
    Whippersnapper
    (a brazen and needlessly contrary person, usually young)

  7. Dawn on November 20, 2012 at 5:58 pm

    Oh yes. We have lost seasons. My husband and I are cooterly too. No Christmas movies, music, decorations, etc. til after Thanksgiving. And we’re building traditions around Advent first, THEN a full 12 days of Christmas, ending with a humdinger of a Twelfth Night party. Its been so good for us to pull back from the frenzie and drink in what each season has to offer. Thanksgiving – gratefulness for what we have; Advent – anticipation/longing for what is coming; Christmas – celebration!

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