B&P Shadorma and Beyond – December 24, 2016

By Danish photographer Joakim Eskildsen –

Hello Folks!

Today, for many of our friends it’s the day before Christmas and there’s an air of merriment and feasting.  Christmas is a holiday with some great traditions and it’s a time when people get closer to the ideals of family and peace.  True, it’s also a period where commerce profits wildly, where people often eat too much and maudlin sentimentality in the movie industry can be overwhelming but if you, like I, have been born and raised in Western Society it’s the time one looks forward to with fuzzy, happy thoughts and anticipation.

This was not always the case.  In post British civil-war Cromwell society Christmas was banned and one could go to jail for singing Christmas songs or closing shop early for the holiday.  In American Puritan society Christmas was banned in many colonies and only fairly recently became a recognized holiday (1870 to be precise). It was thanks to Charles Dickens (with his Christmas Carol) and other social writers of his day that many of our warm family and social feelings are what they are today as they used the holiday to promote the cause of the poor and downtrodden.  It would also seem that many of our so-called ancient traditions are in fact quite shiny new – like Coca Cola’s Santa Claus.

Be that as it may … tomorrow is Christmas and despite the controversies a loved holiday for millions of people throughout the world.  In the spirit of Charles Dickens, I’d like to have you write a shadorma promoting peace and good-will towards all men reflecting on the sort of our fellow humans.

in silence
look upon these souls
down-trodden
without hope
(ah but for fortune we too
might be among them)

just reflect
when next you see them
know their pain
know their want
and be not unkind and mean
they are our family

And on this note, whether you’re Christian or not reflect upon the fortunes of those around us; the refugees, the poor, the mistreated and misguided think of those who have lost their homes or those who have never been as fortunate to have a home at all, think of those who suffer from illness both mental and physical and remember that we’re one and all in the same family called humanity.

I’ll be back with you in January and I hope with some new twist to our Saturday fare.  In the meantime on behalf of Paloma and myself (and I’m sure all the contributors of MLMM) … have a wonderful time during this festive season.     Bastet