Monday Postcard #59 – The Silent Time of the Year?
“Only one more week until Christmas!” “Have you bought all your presents yet?” “See you at the Christmas party!” “Visitor records at the Christmas markets!”
The silent time of the year…
But is Christmas really a silent time? The first question we ask each other this week is always: “Bist im Weihnachtsstress?” (Are you busy because of all the Christmas activities?) I do not consider shopping for presents and meeting friends stressful. Also, I plan well ahead and usually have all my presents ready at the very start of the Christmas season.
I spent the past few days in Vienna’s first district – beautiful lights and decoration and thousands of people. I got a really hectic vibe from all that and when I looked around, a lot of people either sprint from one shop to the next to buy all their presents or they were heavily engaged in binge drinking.
The silent time of the year…
I wonder how many of us still think about the real meaning of Christmas. And I am not referring to the religious one. What about taking time out, being in silence, thinking about the past year and being there for friends and family.
When I was a child, we used to sit in the candle light and sing Christmas songs and read Christmas stories or bake some Christmas biscuits. And I still have very fond memories of these times. But who does that still?
Are we not to busy to schedule all our social pre-Christmas gatherings, tick off the gift list and running through the city while we listen to Christmas songs – or rather a loud techno version of them? What happened to the silent time?
The silent time of the year…
This year, I want to make an effort to appreciate the real motives behind Christmas. I will dedicate time to be in silence but I also want to come back to what I mentioned above: being there for friends and family.
Therefore, I would also like to use this Monday Postcard to draw attention to a friend of mine who needs us: Marta is a “crazy chicken” and girlboss I met during my corporate finance job. We were running and party buddies and also travelled in China together. Since a terrible accident at the Iron Man in Nice, she has been paralysed from the waist below.
There is hope for Marta – who is also the mother of a young daughter: According to the latest research a microchip can be implanted in the spinal chord, helping the electrical impulses to overcome the injured place and help Marta stand again. But as usual, it is very expensive and not covered by insurance. Marta is a fighter and I am sure she has the strength to recover, but financially, she needs our help. You can donate and get more information via Facebook.
I know, especially around Christmas, there are a lot of donation requests but let’s help another girlboss/mother/friend out! This is my Christmas wish this year!