i wrote to a friend today about the holiday season:

as cynical as we all can be about the modern world we live in, and as cheesy as it may be to write about this-

i am really happy that there are different instruments playing holiday songs every day in the lobby of my office downstairs. there is a harp today, playing with a violin and flute. yesterday there was a string quartet. pachelbel canon almost made me cry, a little. 

in the tunnels there are carolers. and singers. and jazz guitarists. 

sometimes i know it's hard to believe that this tradition still exists, and maybe we can make fun of it a little, but i am so happy during this time of year. everyone says hi to each other, and is cheerful, and talks about presents, and their kids, and their families. people wear their ugly christmas sweaters and santa hats. we share chocolate, cookies, hot cocoa. my coworker has Linus's Christmas tree on her desk.  there is that buzz in the air, that words can't describe. some combination of happiness, hope, excitement...

it moves me so much to be around so much cheer. i keep thinking, what if we practiced this attitude all year? one of anticipation, one of gratitude, one of closeness, one of commonality and community. wouldn't the world be a better place?

honestly, i can think of a hundred cynical ways to retort to myself about this, but really. everyone's attitude is so authentic that it just makes me smile. 

on a somewhat related note, Amanda (you can find her here and here) sent this to me today. Vienna Teng, one of my overall favorite musical artists, continues to exhibit authenticity in everything she does. The video is inpsiring. i relate to it, and think about how this past week i tried to explain to someone the feeling of letting go when you dance, and also that dance changed (and saved) my life. 

"Humanity may let you down; you may let yourself down," Teng says. "That's not important at the end of the day. What's important is that you have a sense of possibility, that you can look around and be amazed at how far we have come, even though we have farther to go."