Up until a few minutes ago, I was one of those people who had to have a very special 12/12/12. It’s going to be the last day where the month, date and the last two digits of the year will be identical; obviously, it won’t ever happen again. So initially, I wanted that day to be extra special. I was just telling my friends the other day that we had to do something to “celebrate.”
Then earlier, I suddenly realized something. December 12, 2012 is just like any other day. They all won’t ever happen again.
I think a lot of us get too caught up in petty little things like this. We use “special” things with “special” appearances as an excuse to treat everything else, well, un-specially. Why is it that on Valentine’s Day people show more affection toward one another than on any other days? Why is it that people are more grateful on Thanksgiving? Why are they kinder and more loving during the Christmas season?
The only leverage those days have over all the other days in the year is that they have a name, a title. Besides that, they’re all the same. Why can’t we just be kinder and more loving period? Why can’t we be as grateful as we are on Thanksgiving all throughout the year? Why can’t we simply show the same Valentine’s Day affection every day?
I know it doesn’t seem all that significant. But if you will look at a calendar, how many special days are there compared to all the non-special ones? That is literally hundreds of days when people might feel that being a kind person isn’t really someone they need to be [yet], that taking your husband or your wife for granted may not be okay but is still socially understandable, that taking a moment to appreciate everything you have will just distract you from school or work or Facebook.
That’s hundreds of days when we can be our best selves, when we can be a blessing to others, when we can do good… yet we choose not to because December 26 is not December 25.
A few days ago, I saw a homeless man when I walked out of a restaurant and gave him a few bucks. My friend looked at me questioningly so I told her, “It’s Christmas season.” Do you see? At the time, I was sure I was doing something nice. Now, I’m not so sure anymore. Now, I feel like I did that not out of the kindness of my heart, but out of this need I have to act on my idea of what the Christmas season should be like.
Look at it from the man’s point of view. Does he really have to endure the whole year and wait until Christmas for someone to actually help him? The same question goes for anyone else who isn’t in a good place in life. Because I think a lot of people, I have to say, myself included, would wait until Christmas to feel the need to help others.
Now is usually the time when someone will say things like, ‘Live every day like it’s your last’ or ‘Every day should be like Valentine’s Day’ or ‘Carpe diem.’ But I won’t because one, it’s cliche and, therefore, has probably lost its desired effect on people, and; two, technically, I kind of already did when I mentioned them.
I will just say this instead: Always be nice. 🙂
Scribbles 
You never have to justify being nice – never.
Nicely written!
Thank you!
Well said! I had similar thoughts myself today, but took a slightly different approach over at my blog, The Walrus Cafe.
I like it! And thank you.
Well said. Great post!
Thank you!
I think we assign significance to all these “special” dates because we as humans just like to assign the familiar to what’s generally chaotic and random. I mean, think of constellations. They’re just imaginary drawings we make to mark star locations right? Same with dates. A kid born on 6/6/06 (probably) won’t be the devil and one born on 7/7/07 won’t be any more lucky than anyone else!
That’s probably true. But I also feel that we shouldn’t consign ourselves to the familiar. Something chaotic and random can lead to something wonderful. Albert Camus once said, “All great deeds and all great thoughts have a ridiculous beginning.”
I agree with you on the chaos point for sure. Spontaneous events and random moments often lead us on the most fulfilling paths in life.
Every day is special and no matter what date is on calendar it will simply not going to repeat, ever. Enjoy you life today and hopefully tomorrow it will be even better 🙂
There will always be better days ahead. Always.
Reblogged this on Bored American Tribune. and commented:
Agreed. 100%. Hear-hear. Bravo & well-done. — Jackson Williams.
That entry is exactly, perfectly, right. All of us reserving the – sometimes randomly it seems – designated days as ‘special/meaningful’ days to bother emoting at all. Ugh. Thanks for reminding us all with such charm.
Thank you for such a warm response.
We have a joke in our house. Our youngest daughter’s name is Heather. And every day is Heather day for us!
I hope your other kids are okay with that! 🙂
They are, everyone here things that “Heather Day” is a funny thing! http://www.segmation.com
Spot on 🙂
Thank you!
“12/12/12” blew up my newsfeed on facebook for days! Crazy stuff, great post thought. Congrats on being Freshly Pressed!
Same here. Some even went so far as to take a screenshot of their date and time at 12:12 PM, 12/12/12. Pretty funny. And thank you!
Amen.
Excellent point. Maybe being affectionate/thankful/kind/etc is too much work for most people to do on a daily basis and so they feel like if they only have to be that way on certain dates, it excuses them from good behaviour the rest of the year?
Isn’t that scary, though? That being affectionate/thankful/kind is too much work for most people? Because I honestly believe it isn’t supposed to be.
Something we, unfortunately, need to be reminded of daily.
Yes. A one very big unfortunately.
“December 12, 2012 is just like any other day. They all won’t ever happen again.”
Absolutely, positively, spot on. Every day we wake up is another opportunity for us to go out and affect our world. Every breathe we take may be our last. Our time here is fleeting. Take every opportunity to be a blessing in other’s lives. No one is guaranteed of tomorrow, or even their next hour. Tell those you love that you love them. Thank those for whom have been a blessing to you. Accept the goodness that is out there and pass it along. This could be your last chance.
“Accept the goodness that is out there and pass it along.” – That is a wonderful, if not the only way to fight the hate that is, unfortunately, out there as well.
Great pick for FP. I couldn’t agree with you more.
Thank you!
Well said and based on the plethora of responses, quite thought provoking. This Thanksgiving I decided to bypass the customary turkey, football and family for a few days in Vegas. In my post I questioned why we wait for Thanksgiving day to be thankful when in fact, we should be thankful everyday we’re alive.
Good idea. I like to think of myself as someone who goes toward the opposite direction of customary. My family and I spend Christmas in the cemetery and, I’m telling you, it’s definitely more fun than it seems.
And yes, I feel that it’s quite insincere to be thankful only on Thanksgiving and forget about everything the following day.
Right on, man. We need to constantly remind ourselves that every day is worth doing something extraordinary.
One of my favorite quotes from John Green’s The Fault in Our Stars goes, “Everyone wants to lead extraordinary lives.” I have to say, though, that not everyone really makes an effort to try.
Beautifully said, extremely heartfelt, and inspirational. Live life to the fullest one heart beat at a time! I always grew up with the same concept you emphasize in your article. Why wait? Why make holidays significantly important? Oh, your girlfriend wants something for her birthday? It’s 8 months away? Go buy it now! Does your spouse need a pair of jeans? Why would you wait for that? If you need something, get it before the holidays. If you see someone homeless in a park, give them a piece of bread; not just the birds!
Also, “pay it forward” is another great concept to understand. If I help you, go help someone else. Everyone is too caught up in the time, but never the quality of their relationships with themselves and the people around them. “Oh baby, happy 3 month anniversary!” Did you seriously achieve anything significant within those three months? Probably not all three, unless you managed to balance everything out with unconditional love. If only people stopped doing what they were doing, and understand the people around them. They’ll be surprised that life is like an hourglass with unlimited sand. Stop worrying about how long you have had each other in your life, and pay attention to what you can do about them right now. Before it’s too late! Go, get off the computer and start telling your friends and family how much you mean to them! Regardless what day it is, it’s never too late.
Change a life, make a difference, pass it on. Thanks for sharing!
I don’t even think understanding a person’s beliefs is a prerequisite to be nice to them. If we can’t understand them, the least we could do is tolerate them. I know it doesn’t sound as alluring, but tolerance really does go a long way.
I want so badly to leave a long comment telling you how much I love this and wholeheartedly agree, but in the spirit of kindness I will just say, “Amazing post. You are awesome!”
I find your words extremely heart-fattening. That is the only way I can describe it. Massive thanks!
Oh and by the way, your stories are amazing too.
That really changes my lookout on things – good job!
Thank you!
Wait, you mean 13/13/13 isn’t possible!?
The chances aren’t looking good, I gotta tell ya. I sincerely hope this revelation does not turn your whole world upside down.
Nice article. Totally agree.
And it may explain why I don’t feel the ‘Christmas Spirit’ so much. Because for me the ‘special’ about Christmas is that we have the day off, decorate the house with red and green stuff, and have an excuse to give and receive gifts. Other than that, it’s a day like any other…
On a similar note, one thing that I always say when people asks me on my birthday how is it to feel x years old is that it feels only 1 day older than yesterday…
Thank you.
Oh yes, I get the decorations and the gifts. I mean, we can’t have those all throughout the year (no matter how many times I wish it). But I’m not implying that Christmas should be just about decorations and gifts. I’m saying regular days are an excuse to not give gifts, but it isn’t an excuse to not treat everyone decently.
I’ve had the same mentality all my life, couldn’t agree more about being kind every single day. Shared this on FB 🙂 Congratulations on being Freshly Pressed.
I’m awfully flattered that you thought this post is good enough to be shared on that social networking giant. Thank you! 🙂
You are welcome. It was a deserving post!
This is great! It was exactly what I was thinking 🙂 i am going to post this link on twitter now, if you don’t mind. Your beautifully and wise written post should be shared 🙂 thank you so much
Oh gosh. That’s really flattering. Thank you so much for the really sweet words. 🙂
I love this and completely agree with your sentiments.
It is sad that people need to have days to remind them to do simple things like tell someone how much they mean to you, be thankful for all you have or give to charity or those less fortunate.
If we just stripped everything back to the simplest of pleasures and treated eachother with love and repect always maybe we wouldn’t need these reminders.
Congrats on being freshly pressed!
I agree.
Such occasions were created to remind us the importance of doing acts of kindness, not to remind us to actually do them. These special days were created under the rightful assumption that acts of kindness are already a part of our daily lives.
“Why can’t we just be kinder and more loving period? ” This made me smile. Thank you for posting this 🙂
The fact that it made you smile makes me smile. 🙂
I like the idea of good will all year. Congrats on Freshly Pressed.
Thank you!
We share a line of thought, you and I, especially the one about helping others and being kind everyday rather than just on occasion.
I see you are a journalist, that’s good, we need more open minded journalists in the world.
I think you should come join us on the B-Team Group on LinkedIn.
See if we can’t turn those thoughts into action.
Not a professional journalist, not yet anyway. Still working my way to becoming one.
I’ll look into it!
That… is a wonderful viewpoint. =)
Thank you. And you, nice person, have wonderful photos. 🙂
Thank you! =))
Reblogged this on freamin's Blog.
This is incredible! You are opening our eyes wide to lok at the real truth!
There is no better time for the truth than always. Thank you!
Nailed it.
12/12/12 also happened to be last such matching matching 🙂 date/day/year in this century…
I like where you said, “Why is it that on Valentine’s Day people show more affection toward one another than on any other days? Why is it that people are more grateful on Thanksgiving? Why are they kinder and more loving during the Christmas season?”
This is so true! It’s important to love the people around you everyday 🙂 not just on special days. I think that being kind to someone on a random day shows that you have more of a heart than being kind “just because it’s the holidays.”
Yes! Random kindness is way better than holiday kindness. It also tends to be remembered more by the person you showed kindness too. And I’m speaking from experience on that one.
That’s a really wonderful contemplation and idea. I completely agree with your thought of being nice all the time and it does make sense. Everyday is ‘special’ and we must celebrate the spirit of life with each passing day. So, I don’t think its important to be happy when its Christmas, rather happiness must be a part of our lives everyday! In the same manner, we shouldn’t wait for our Birthdays or Anniversaries to do something ‘good’ and pious because the world deserves goodness everyday. Your post did make me think and I thank you for that. God Bless!
Thank you! Special should be, in a sense, normal. Every day is an opportunity to do good. God bless you too!
I agree. Embracing every moment is something we should all practice more often. Myself included.
Embrace the moment. Embrace each other.
Side note: I think the crazy in my head is starting to show itself from not having enough sleep. I apologize.
Amen to that! At least these days can be an outlet for our capacity to love though, but yesyesyes all the same 🙂 I hope you enjoy a wonderful 14/12/12 xxxxxx
Thank you! I hope you have/are having a wonderful 14/12/12 too! 🙂
good article! 🙂
Thank you! 🙂
I loved that idea of us holding on to certain days when really every day is special in its own way. Very carpe diem of you 🙂
That’s the idea. I hope I can keep it up. Thank you!
Well said
Thanks!
Point(s) well taken. At the same time I think sometimes we DO need a push. We have this one day of the year (if you celebrate Christmas) when everyone gives everyone a gift – it’s fun (and expensive) and special – becomes it comes once a year. But hey, I get it.
I agree, we do need a push. But I feel that a push is all it should be. Christmas pushes us to spread kindness but it shouldn’t end when Christmas ends. I don’t mean special days like Christmas should be treated like any other day, I mean any other day should be treated and valued like it’s Christmas.
Lovely post …
Thank you!
I completely feel the same way… I am guilty myself of taking things for granted. Thank you for this blog, I will definitely keep this in mind.
We’re all guilty of taking things for granted, it seems. The good thing is we can always do something about it.
Reblogged this on rosefashionista and commented:
So so true only read a bit but going to read the wholething
Great post! I’ve often thought: if I lived every day like it were my last, I’d soon be broke and likely in custody. I’d also have about 100 new puppies.
Oh I am so with you on the 100 puppies! Dogs are awesome. They make you appreciate life in the simplest ways.
Great post!
Thank you!
Great thoughts within a great post! And worthy of being freshly pressed! Congrats! Now I’ve GOT to go and check some of your other posts out… 😉
Thanks so much! I hope reading my other posts won’t change your mind. 🙂
nice insight ❤ really thought provoking..
Thank you!
good work Kathryn!!!really enjoyed reading it 🙂
Thanks so much!
Very well said….The irony of our lives!!!
Thank you!
Yep!!!! Merci beaucoup. I recently had a conversation with a really good friend of mine about the same thing. It’s not an easy concept to hold as we all get caught up in ourselves and the wonderfulness of our own being (which is wonderful :)) and often forget the beauty of our collective being.
It is a good thing to realize, as you so wonderfully put it, the wonderfulness of our own being. But without ever considering the wonderfulness of the people around us, ours tend to lessen. People usually think that if they stop prioritizing themselves, no one else will and they will be forgotten. That’s not true. Those who remember others are the ones who are usually remembered, not the most, but rather the longest.
A well crafted article – I could relate to the points you put forth so beautifully! Congrats on being FP!
Thanks so much!
insightful read there but to me the date was not just another date it was not like any other day which is never the same… on 12/12/12 my country marked the beginning of the jubilee year and we celebrated… but for that i totally agree with you, be nice 🙂
Oh that’s wonderful! Congratulations!
Well written, everyday is a gift and will never happen again, we always say happy Monday or Tuesday.,etc depending on what day it is to remind ourselves to treat it as a once in a lifetime day..Sometime ago we decided that for 30days we were going to do at least on special thing for the other person as if it is a celebration,,Since then we pretty much do that 8 years on ;0) Thanks for your blog ;0)
That is genius. I hope it’s working out wonderfully!
Very insightful post 🙂 – I enjoyed reading it, even though on the 12/12/12, I had absolutely zero idea that it was anything special! I didn’t even notice when it was on the news, or when facebook friends made comment about it. I guess I am slightly the other way, I focus so much on my day to day happenings, that I sometimes miss things happening outside my little world. I will say however, that I subscribe the to philosophy that there never a reason not to be ‘nice’.
I, for one, think it’s okay to miss out on what’s happening in the world every now and then. I’ve learned that getting too caught up in it tends to confuse you in what’s really important in life.
Bang on. But I guess in our ordinary lives, we are always seeking something extraordinary.
True. I also want to have an extraordinary life. I realized that the “something extraordinary” isn’t and shouldn’t always be centered on us. The “something extraordinary” could be done for someone else and it would still be extraordinary for you, you just happen to share it with someone else which is in itself extraordinary because most people don’t do that anymore.
True again Kathryn. Sharing always doubles the pleasure and happiness.
Reblogged this on TEES AND MORE.
That is true!
I agree entirely, and so it seems did Dickens, speaking through the reformed Scrooge: “I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.” There was something in there about how Mankind should be our business before anything else, too, which also accords with your excellent post.
Exactly. Mr. Charles Dickens is a brilliant human being.
cheers!
It’s beautiful written, and conveys your thoughts beautifully. Kudos from Just Mad Stuff 🙂 Looking forward to more…
Thank you!
Very well said….and I completely agree with you!
Thank you!
Reblogged this on Oyia Brown.
Great observation. Like the post. You noted the 12/12/12 as being significant, the kids will certainly remember it. They loved counting down the seconds to 12mins past 12 on the 12.12.12. but don’t forget the 21/12/12 is nearly here. if you want a brief over view on what is predicted to happen on this day see my last post. http://gettingrecognised.wordpress.com/ . Also a free pdf book available for your trouble
. Offer finsihes on the 21/12/12.
Ah, yes, 21/12/12. For a lot of people, it’s the end of the world. For me, it’s the first day of Christmas break. I am looking forward to it.
Have a lovely Christmas and New year
I was a rebel in my younger years so I declared Feb. 13th as “un”-valentines day. It was great.
As for giving money to a homeless person on the street, it’s iffy. A lot of times (especially around this time) people “play” homeless to get drugs. You just have to think, “if I relinquish this money to this stranger am I going to relinquish the idea of what I feel they should buy?” Being kind to the homeless works just as good for me. They aren’t used to people being nonjudgmental and if they ask for money, I always unfortunately don’t have it.
I don’t think you should feel any guilt because you used the reason of the season. It’s paying it forward as they call it. Winter can be the most depressing season for some, I think it works well that people can show more kindness this time of year.
Oh, I like that idea.
Yes, I agree which is why I usually give food, if I have any.
That is also true. But I also feel that the reason why winter can be the most depressing season is because there’s so much pressure to be happy since that’s what everyone’s supposed to be during Christmas.
12/12/12 got so many people scared! I was shocked by how many people were freaking out about it. My facebook was lit up with 12/12/12 this and 12/12/12 memes and 12/12/12 confession statuses..haha we are so easily captivated! And scared. Great post, thanks for sharing and congrats on being Freshly Pressed.
Thanks so much!
This is just so true. Like the first commenter said, there is no justification for being nice. And I add, neither a special day for it. Ordinary days should do.
This blog post deserves every millimeter of WordPress’ recognition–and every second of a reader’s attention.
Oh gosh, thank you so much! That’s so nice of you.
Wonderful sentiments, and I agree. When the opportunity presents itself to be a blessing, don’t miss it. Thanks for making me think about this. 🙂
Yes, I agree. But people rarely, if not never, miss an opportunity, even if that’s what they often say. “Missing an opportunity” sort of implies that the person may or may not have been aware when the opportunity presented itself. But we’re always aware when an opportunity is there. It’s just that sometimes, we really don’t bother to take it. 🙂
Whoops, I meant to say, “Don’t take the opportunity.” 😉
Love!
Thanks for sharing. We can use more good in the world and being good to all we come in contact with including our own family!
Very true!
Love the way you think AND the way you write. Congrats on being Freshly Pressed! 😀
Thank you so much for the nice words!
Great Blog! Wrote a piece myself on the now infamous date 21/12/12, keep up the good work!
I am now singing this in my head: “Statistics prove, prove that you’ve one birthday… one birthday every year! But there are THREE HUNDRED AND SIXTY FOUR un-birthdays, and that is why we’ve gathered here to cheer!”
Thankyou, Disney, for reminding us of this.
Alice in Wonderland. Good film.
So true. I think about these things often as well. People like you make the world a little bit better!
Thank you so much. I’m incredibly touched. Thank you.
You have written a really nice text! I had similar thoughts while ignoring all those 12/12/12 posts on facebook. I really like what you have done with this topic and it made me think about how I interact with other people! Thanks!
Greetings
Charlie
Hi, Charlie. Thank you so much!
“It’s going to be the last day where the month, date and the last two digits of the year will be identical; obviously, it won’t ever happen again.”
Are you suggesting that our civilization will be gone by December 12, 3012?
Always be nice, indeed – excellent advice.
Huh. I never thought of that. Well, it is the last day in our lifetime. Thanks for pointing it out!
Reblogged this on DenSchThink and commented:
“It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas…”
Well put, and rightly so! Every day that we wake up breathing should be a day to celebrate with kindness, thanks, and love.
Well said. Of course, 12/12/12 will happen again, one hundred years from now. It’s just we won’t get to see December 12th, 2112. But that shouldn’t lessen the importance of every day we have. Like you, I wish to avoid cliche, so let me not say that today is all we are promised, because we were not even promised that. Just think how we might treat each other and our world if we really stopped looking to some future day, in this life-time or the next, but lived as if this, right here was all there was. Might we get closer to a heaven on earth? Maybe.
That is the goal, my goal at least. With all that’s been happening lately, the world has become such an awfully scary place. But I hold on to the hope that it also has so much potential to be good.
I hold that hope with you.
I was glad when I read your article. I thought, here’s someone who think like I do. Unfortunately, most people are trying or wants to be just a good team, dedicated to those days. Among them I am to. What is comforting me that is I do not give up, I try every day to change myself.
Absolutely. We can’t give up. Also, not really changing ourselves, more of improving.
I agree.
Best regards.
Nicely written. Life goes on and we get past dates and numbers. What remains is the memory of things we do. If only we had a good bunch of them throughout the year doing good for others to the extent of our abilities, we could celebrate each day in the real sense.
Thank you. And I agree. And if you have a hard time doing good, then just be nice. It totally goes a long way.
Well-written, Kathryn.
And even if something is cliche, so what? A lot of people think in platitudes and clichés and slogans. And if something is cliché then that’s just all the more reason to try to come up with a new and more potent way of re-saying it or improving upon it.
Either way, I appreciate your very well-written and well-thought-out post.
Warmest regards,
John
True. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with cliches. I just have this personal thing of not wanting to sound cliche. 🙂
Thank you so much, John.
good thought! 🙂
I think if we didn’t have holidays that some people would never be nice at all. I’d rather take it where I could get it.
Unfortunately, I also think that’s true, and that scares the heck out of me. But I believe that as human beings, we cannot compromise the value of humanity.
Great article. I’ll admit though, I didn’t think anything of 12/12/12 initially, I was just happy that typing the date all day on reports for work was going to be easier than usual. In that respect, it was an “extra special day” indeed.
I think that’s a good thing, you know. You’re definitely not like me who, even after complaining about the tremendous amount of school work, apparently had the time to worry about making 12/12/12 a really good day. I’m glad it made work a bit easier for you then!
Nice entry (and congrats on Freshly Pressed). I have wondered the same thing before, and so I try to treat every day the best way I can. I’m still working on this of course, but I’m trying! 😉
My birthday was less than two weeks ago, and my friends were surprised and disappointed when I didn’t tell them about it. I thought to myself that it is just another day, just another pointless number. On that day, I was busy finishing a group project anyway, so I didn’t really have time to celebrate. My father felt as if he should do something special, but I asked him not to bother. This confused him of course, but honestly, the best thing he could do for me is just to treat me with respect, to listen, and to understand my feelings every day.
Why should there just be one day of the year where magically, everything is good? We should treat every day as if it is special, because it’s true. Our time here on earth is limited, so we should appreciate every moment of our lives. 🙂
Thank you! And happy birthday! 🙂 I think it’s nice. Most girls would freak if they didn’t have anything special planned on their birthdays. It’s not wrong to want to have a special birthday, either. The important thing is we’re happy.
And I agree. Appreciate life. Sadly, a lot of people take theirs for granted.
I spent 12/12/12 working and didn’t even realize the unique date thing that was going on. Oh well. In any case, I think you’re right. I try to treat every day equally, if that makes any sense.
That makes a lot of sense to me, I gotta say.
Great post!
Reblogged this on Take The Pieces And Build Them Skywards and commented:
More people need to think like this.
Reblogged this on The Freshie.
“They all won’t ever happen again.” Oh my gosh, EPIC A-ha moment! I thought 12/12/12 had to be special and not wasted too. Now I will pay much more attention to every day as a “special” one. Thank you.
12/12/12 is special, but so is 12/13/12 (or 13/12/12, depends where you’re from), 12/14/12, so on an so forth. 🙂
Reblogged this on All About 2012.
I really like your blog and would love you to feature on mine, http://www.5thingstodotoday.com. All you have to do is write five suggestions along with a link back to your site. Please check out the blog and see the sort of things people have written about.
I love your post! The writing was/is so amazing!
Thanks so much! I’m glad you liked it.
Reblogged this on Saint Keelyn's world.
Right On!
U made my heart smile
Very well written…I wish everyone would simply live by this wisdom.
very well said , really impressed by your blog that live everyday like it is the last one……….hats off….
I wrote a poem once.. when I was at work on Valentines day and all the men were rushing in for last minute bunches of flowers…
“Valentines day.
If you love,
Valentine’s day
should not be
necessary”.
Well, not a long poem, and if said in an entire sentence rather than a few short phrases, probably not even a poem, but it really sums up what I think about the whole “special” thing, so thank you for your post!
Great post! I totally agree, we should be nice to everyone everyday and love those closest to us all the time. All these days won’t happen again, as you point out in your article. Thanks for sharing and congrats on being on Freshly Pressed!
Everyone feel free to check out my blog! All follows, likes, comments, and views are all appreciated! 🙂
Nice post! 🙂 I myself was all about D’oh! on this day today, didn’t really want to know how others ‘celebrate’ or ‘fear’ this day which would just make me flip out another time, and I learn calm acceptance of whatever ppl really wanna believe in 🙂
Well, great news, we are all still here, happily awakened and properly thrilled. Then on Monday is another working day, folks :)) But no worries, soon we’ll come up with something new.. oh yeah Valentine is coming :))
I am not sure… If 12/12/12 will come again but in another year. 2112, 2212, 2312, etc…3012, 4012. We just won’t December 12, 2012 anymore and we haven’t seen November 11, 2011 for awhile now.
Although we should do all these things every day; nevertheless, Thanksgiving causes many people to pause in their busy lives to give thanks. I think it is important to take a day to celebrate and commemorate together. I think that is part of the reason for having “days.” To do it together, especially Thanksgiving, Christmas, Memorial Day, and the 4th of July. These are in the broadest sense, communal holidays. We celebrate them together.
Wonderful thoughts, Kathrine, and why not? Imagine if everybody just took it upon themselves to consciously convey Love, Peace & Joy in every word and deed with everyone even if they do not reciprocate?
It’s Christmas, and while the Spirit has been high jacked by the Bankers and Merchants after 2000 years of tradition, there is only 1 Day that exists with God and that is always TODAY.
I never paid attention to that date until…a co-worker surprisingly spent his lunch break, getting married to his girlfriend.
Yes, no kiddin’. Another employee hurriedly bought a wedding collective greeting card for us to sign our good wishes!
Actually, today was the LAST day on the Mayan calendar..so that would mean..if you’re a doomsday’er…that the world would end tomorrow. However, I’ve never believed in that stuff and I know the world is not ending. You’re right..today is just another day…but it’s the last time it’ll ever happen.
Reblogged this on Life As I Know It Photography and commented:
Love this!
Great Post. I agree. For myself, I try to use these “special days”, as reminders to be better everyday.
Carpe Diem, seize the carp.
Because carp are damn slippery.
I’m with you. I use every day of the year to be Jesus’ hands and feet to whoever I encounter. I’m called to show His love always, not just when numbers on a calendar call for it.
Great blog!
Simple and straightforward. I like it.
And obviously, there’s a whole bunch of people who like it too. Congrats on being freshly pressed.
Can I read more into it, though?
I mean, this thing about waiting for the appropriate day to be nice, loving &c. is all about that scary gap between essence and appearance. It’s always more comfortable for your conscience to do things when you are supposed to do them, rather than do as you actually feel to and stand up on the edge of the abyss and face the height and the consequences. There’s nothing solved if people are good just for the sake of being good, and in no connection to what they feel, or the person/animal/thing they’re being good to. right?
This is thought provoking to say the least….I know this because I am thinking more than usual at 9:00am on a Saturday before Christmas. I will comment here and if this continues to swim around my turbulent head, I will re-post this on my blog and do a thought dump at Fitzy’s Focus. I usually hang around the humor section of WordPress.
Ok, I have a duality that some may share on the subject of holidays and perhaps changing one’s behavior for the sake of a holiday. On one hand as I get older, my negative side feels pressured from a commercial stand-point. We are bombarded by commercialism to go and buy things that will hopefully make people happy but Macy’s doesn’t care about that, they just want to boost their sales. Cynical but accurate right?
On the other hand I think we as a people, race of carbon-based life forms with the gift of choice, need a reminder sometimes to think of others. The holiday season while maybe artificial on some levels forces most of us to think of others where that might not be the norm though hard to admit. In fact each holiday requires us to focus on someone else. Sometimes one person i.e. Valentines Day, and sometimes more than one like Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza and the like.
Well, I could go on and the fact I have written this much means I should probably write about it……yes I am going to take this ball and run with it so thank you in advance for setting me in motion and I thank the editors for putting this out in Freshly Pressed so we can see it and ponder a bit.
For whatever it’s worth I really enjoyed reading it on many levels.
Your Pal,
Fitzy
Well, that’s always I think about whenever people mention about special days like Valentine’s Day or Christmast. I mean, if these kinds of day had never exist, how would people show affection and kindness to everyone? Isn’t it simpler just show it everyday and in every moment instead of waiting for the certain date to do that?
Well, I think it’s because we like to think that the date must be something to remember, and it will be quite common if it’s not in certain date like 12-12-12.
A neat blog reminding us all to commit random acts of kindness just for the hell of it!
Hi Katherine, i agree and i have been saying similar things for many years. sometimes people are dumfounded by nice… i have had people refusing to take 100 bills from me, the guy was a Janitor with 4 kids. after much coercion from me he took it. That was in May of this past year. I have done it many many times and i am not even wealthy…..YET!!! I am not patting myself on the back, i just want to say that there ARE many that do that same thing, we just see it more at christmas time…. Thanks for your post tho, i am new to wordpress, today is my first reply to anyone, quite fitting and PERFECT….
Some great thoughts, but some words like ‘nice, sorry, etc’ are losing their intended meaning, due to the fact they are over used and are not meant when they are said. Just like the saying ‘Have a nice day’ how many of the people who utter that phrase mean it, but are just saying it because their employer says they have to.
I proceed through life with the view ‘treat others as you would wish them to treat you’.
Nice sentiments Kathryn, but lousy humans beings that we are even in a supposedly Christian country forget… that’s why event-driven kindness is better than nothing. There are 1.56m homeless in US where it freezes over in WInter, 1 in every 200 people, 1 in 3 homeless men are veterans which are basically cut loose “out of sight out of mind”…
When everyone so jealously guards their individuality and personal freedoms, the result is also “you’re free to live outdoors if you want” mentality. The US needs to develop more expressions of common good, societal cohesion and civic obligation
nicely written and i do agree with you to some extent. but then making a earmarked day significant, brings in more joy to people like me. for example, when i get those 12 am calls on my birthday, or patiently wait for those surprise gifts that i am supposed to get on special dates. its just that, celebrating an event/day gets easier & feasible when we earmark it. dats why i feel 🙂
Keep writing!
Great post! This is something I think about a lot- particularly how people volunteer or donate more around holidays that are about giving (but also about excesses- Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc). There was a funny How I Met Your Mother episode about that.
Any kind actions should be appreciated, obviously, but it would be great if people could spread them out over the year, and not just out of a sense of obligation during special occasions!
Reblogged this on The Barbaric Yawp and commented:
Yes, this is how I feel about these days.
Actually, those holidays are there often to remind us to be loving and thoughtful.
“Always be nice” pretty much sums it up!
A post that made my day 🙂
Wish there are more nice people like you out there!
Nicely written, so many people need this outlook on life.
Reblogged this on DineoMasipa and commented:
Love this post! Theres absolutely no reason to wait before you do something. Be grateful TODAY, be kind TODAY, be loving TODAY- no time like the present:)
Your article provides an opportunity for great thought and I thank you for creating it. But I would go further than saying be nice, I would say always show respect to your fellow beings, whether they be of our human species or of any animal kind.
Living every day with love, peace making, forgiveness, no judgment, in our hearts is how we will recreate paradise.
Wondering if something odd would happen on 12/12/12 I came to find out that 12/11/12 was almost one of my brothers last days on earth. He is still recovering from his severe injuries, but should be ok. We all need to appreciate each day God gives us.
I’ve had the same thoughts for years about Valentines Day–I don’t celebrate it because I believe you shouldn’t wait for that one day to show someone how much you love them, and that you should be doing that all year round. (Although, those thoughts stemmed from my disdain over being single on every Valentines Day in my lifetime, but I digress.) But I’ve never associated those thoughts with other “titled” dates. Now that you’ve put Christmas and Thanksgiving in the same light, I guess it’s fair to say that you’ve made a good point. Why should we wait for a “special” day to express some sort of niceness towards others? And so though it sounds so simple that it could become cliche, I agree with your final sentence that we should “Always be nice”.
Sorry for a late reply – catching up on Freshly Pressed emails long neglected over the year. I admit, I like picking out the idiosyncratic dates throughout the years and acting differently upon them, especially 29th February whenever it comes around. But I guess that’s an autistic thing, a way with numbers to organise life that works in my head alone. I totally agree with the sentiment of the post in any case – a number on the calendar doesn’t oblige you to behave a certain way, and similarly being nice, or being ANYTHING, doesn’t require a special occasion marked by a number on the calendar… unless you’re like me 🙂 Thanks for sharing this.