One of the last holiday HallMark videos I watched last year was called, “This is Christmas” and I posted about it on my social media thread as it was very Unitarian in its theme, and I felt it was worth mentioning.
Of course there was a romantic thread and a save the day excitement at the end. But most of the story was about a guy who rode the same train every day into the city for work with fellow travelers – all the same folks – who rarely noticed or spoke to each other. Some days the train was delayed or they were forced to take an alternate train and there was talk of this train being retired and folks transitioning to a bus route instead.
Of course now that main character starts thinking about how they can stop this change and how they need to rally for the cause. This starts the ‘wheels in motion’ for him to bring everyone together in hopes of making a connection that could surely not be broken.
He plans a party for the holiday and offers a no pressure commitment to whoever and whatever this becomes. Someone offers drinks from her small wine business. Someone offers to do the invite – a young graphic artist who is a whiz at design. Another rider is part of a band and they offer to play for free. Someone else knows someone who might have a venue. And slowly folks start talking about family and tradition and bits of themselves.
When the drama unfolds as it always does in these movies what saves the day is community. These people who are now ‘connected with the humanity around them ’ and unwilling to let go of their connections.
What a great way to start the year! Connected….
~Lydia Patrick
Yes, community is so important in our lives, but sometimes we forget that. Blessed be to our UU community for always being there to left my spirits and to inspire me!
Indeed. What we do together is so much more than what we can ever do alone.