Celebrate Every Day

I love the stories of words. The fact that the etymology of the word holiday comes from the Old English halig dæg or holy day makes me all warm and fuzzy inside. (I just pegged myself as a word geek, didn’t I?) I believe holidays should be sacred times, occasions for people to come together and celebrate.

But sometimes the craziness around a holiday can overshadow its intended message. The examples that come most quickly to my mind are Valentine’s Day, Earth Day, and Veterans Day. The cacophony that surrounds Valentine’s Day is enough to drown out the message, “Tell the special people in your life that you love and appreciate them,” while Earth Day often involves a flurry of advertising for so-called green products rather than acknowledgement of the unique and wonderful nature of our planet. Veterans Day includes parades and brass bands while the idea that those who have given their all for our country should be honored stands shyly on the sidelines.

Instead of the big, flashy statements, I believe it is the small, consistent ones that make the biggest impact. My husband is not a big believer in Valentine’s Day. (This had caused such issues in previous relationships that he warned me very carefully of the fact while we were dating.) However, he tells me and our daughters every day that he loves us. Even more powerful, his daily actions send the same message. If he is sharing a treat with the girls, the last bite is always theirs. That says love to me far more than a giant teddy bear ever would.

We’re working to raise our daughters to cherish the earth. As we recycle or walk away from a plastic toy in the store, we talk with them about how our actions are taking care of the earth. They have started telling us they are “being good to the earth” when they turn off the water while brushing their teeth so the message appears to be sticking (at least sometimes). This is gratifying since I know our daily actions will have a far greater impact than anything we could do on Earth Day alone.

Parades are fun but providing military families ongoing support would be a more useful thank you. Allowing the children of military personnel to transfer their high school credits as they move to a new school or providing childcare for the family of a service member recovering from injuries would surely honor military service more fully.

Perhaps holidays should best be seen as reminders of how we hope to be. I want to cherish my loved ones every day. I want to care for the earth every day. I want to express my gratitude to those who protect me every day. Thankfully there are holidays to help remind us of this fact.

Happy holidays, everyone!

This is my first submission to the Green Moms Carnival. December’s carnival has two topics hosted by separate sites. One of this month’s themes, you no doubt guessed, is “Holidays” hosted by The Smart Mama. The second is “Tell the Obama Administration What You’d Like them to Do for the Environment” hosted by Big Green Purse. Be sure to visit them December 7 for a compilation of the selected articles. If you are interested in submitting an article for future carnivals, visit Green Moms Carnival for upcoming topics and more information.

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