ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR III
While I am scribbling this column I am on a couch facing 7 Christmas Trees with 6 standing as guards and one huge tree at the center.
The trees were made of mostly red metallic balls painted in red and white. the balls are striped and the huge star on top is lighted like Neon sign.
The most conspicuous sight is the moving feet of the elf with half of the body shoved into the tree while the cute legs move in a rhythmic staccato.
The hotel was bursting with glitters and reds and lights. The sound of Christmas jazz fills the air.
The coolness of the air-conditioned air is simply a respite from the heat outside.
This is Christmas of the modern times. When we look back the real Christmas was nothing compared to the real nativity.
It was a simple and even harrowing event of struggle of trying to find room and board for the possible delivery of a baby.
The couple of Joseph and Mary were not even dressed to the nines.
They were more of strangers trying to survive.
The accommodations were shabby and the co occupants on the barn were livestock like cows and horses with dung and other smell on the air.
The weather outside as Frank would say was frightful and yet the fire was absent and thus, its not delightful.
Cold, damp, cow dung, on top of the ignominious and shabby treatment, its years away from where I am. The beverage list of alcoholic and non alcoholic drinks are on sight and suddenly I remember, Jesus was born on a manger.
And that the real Christmas thousand of years back was no not like this.
And yes, I left the lobby and went back to the ball room.
The Real Christmas of which a Savior and Messiah was born, was simple, frugal and shockingly simple.
And as I was leaving i regret taking the first step away from the couch, but I remember Jesus, His was a study of contrast and yet, its His birthday we are pre-celebrating.
Thus, its a sad feeling that ALL these are never, never like His Christmas…
