Friday, November 25, 2011

BLEAK FRIDAY

   The clan gathered yesterday to give thanks. Irish Americans, Korean Americans, Asian Indian Americans. Old folks, young kids. The younguns helped whip up four different flavored whipped creams for the pies and cheesecake. Rob kidoed, spoke the prayer. We inhaled turkey, kimchi, goat. We laughed, drank, ate and laughed some more. We gave thanks.
   America gathered last night, at the entrances to malls, stores, shopping centers, large and small. America gathered to snatch, grab, yank, shove, take, get, punch and pepper spray the competition, in a turbulent paen to consumerism elevated to the status of National Holiday of the First Order.
   Bleak Friday has replaced Thanksgiving. You don't ever see ads or announcements celebrating the simple warmth of family, gathered in the enveloping joy of deeper things. Starting in August we've been treated to the siren announcements of garish holiday displays, luring, enticing, enchanting, inviting, drawing us into the perfect maelstrom of a Daffy Duckish mine mine mine moment.
   We ended our gathering yesterday full, content in the goodness of our enduring familial bonds, and the joys of all those F words: Family, Friends, Food, Football, Fun, Fantastic Flatulence.
   America ended Bleak Friday with stuff.

4 comments:

  1. We've never had money for Black Friday (something always comes up bill-wise that we have to pay before thanksgiving, this year it's rent) and I'm actually kind of grateful for that. I don't think I would participate anyway. Malls make me sick and mobs of people scare the poop out of me. The holidays aren't about stuff - they're about spending time with family and friends and being grateful we live in a country that allows us to do so.

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  2. Well put! Wishing you all goodness this season, and far beyond! :)

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  3. I am right with ya on this one, I wanted to cover this topic at some point, so here's a nice little rant lol And while people are still proclaiming their excitement to get in line and attempt to have a slice of the high life for a day by spending their hard earned money on generally mediocre discounts for things you should already be able to afford and that could hardly be considered a relative priority, I think more and more people are seeing the need for a priority check. I see Bleak Friday as a slap in the face of true American values, and it is adding insult to injury in its occurrence the day after Thanksgiving. Maybe it wouldn't be such a slap in the face if the world wasn't in the condition it is, but then again it seems this situation is a byproduct of the system itself. It's time to re-prioritize, and put the needs of the many ahead of the needs of a few. We could all be living in abundance, and the people are getting tired of having their potentially glorious futures withheld by a broken and dying illusion. Of course, I believe we will see the truth and make a change and it will be beautiful, so I'm not too worried about it :) Hope you are well and a very happy Thanksgiving!!

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  4. Alex, glad to see you and your response here! :) And I believe you're spot on about priorities!
    Wishing you and your fam all goodness!

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