Me 2 You @ Christmas 2023
Sorry it’s been a while since I’ve written this or produced new content for this website/blog, but I’ve spent most of the year focused on my own wellbeing, other projects and my F1 site. Basically, I’ve lacked ideas for non-fiction content and channelled my creative energy into a silly little musical, which some know and have, as a distraction.
However, this year has been better than last, I don’t want to discuss it publicly but I think I’m getting to a better place but am on a journey, life a journey and we know that in the Christmas story that Mary and Joseph had to go on a journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem. Because there was no room in the inn, baby Jesus is born in a stable and placed in a manger.
While I don’t want to speak about the Israel—Gaza war and condemn the Hamas attack nearly three months ago, the message of Christmas is one of peace. The conflict in the region is so old it dates to the time of Jesus and the solution isn’t easy.
2023 has news-wise, after eight years, has felt like a normal year but we know next year will globally see several national elections in the UK, US, France, Ukraine, South Africa, and Russia. I think there is common issues, culture wars, the cost of living, the war in Ukraine and the situation in the Middle East.
My main website covers F1, you can see my season review there, but its been an undescribed year for Max Verstappen and Red Bull, the team not winning only one Grand Prix in Singapore and one Sprint in Lusail (Doha). It sounds boring but naturally, I’m still finding a way to try to make it interesting.
The message of Christmas is about hope in unexpected places a baby born in a stable but in Bethlehem but in Luke 2:10 says that an angel appeared telling Mary and Joseph “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.” It must have been a scary time, and we need to put our trust in not necessary in god but whatever we believe.
There are many challenges which life and a year presents, we shouldn’t be afraid of them, I know I avoid difficult things, but we can only imagine what Mary and Joseph were going through. No modern medicine, giving birth in a stable because there was no room at the inn.
In the midst of the festivities, let us not forget the less fortunate. The lonely, the marginalized, and the broken-hearted. Christmas invites us to open our hearts and extend compassion to those who are struggling, seeking to be a beacon of hope and a source of encouragement for the weary souls we encounter on our journey.
While I am gay, I think my own faith has strengthened this year it wasn’t something I set out as a goal but it kind of just happened, as I’m scribing an idea down for my next book exploring faith, politics and religion. It was never my New Year’s resolution but getting into that habit I think helped me just to reflect.
If you are not religious, I think Christmas while based in scripture is also an important time, when things stop, we are able to slow down, spend time with family and friends celebrate the year. Isn’t that the meaning of Christmas that time together as family, to renew ourselves for the new year a fresh.
While my own faith has grown, I feel in the last year, it wasn’t planned I’ve always liked this time to pause not going on holiday but not doing the normal things. My mum being a nurse almost keeps me grounded because at this time of year people are still sick and I know better than most my care needs don’t go on holiday for Christmas.
Christmas is special but it’s not always possible to be with family, I’ve been lucky in recent years that mum hasn’t had to work on Christmas day. But it’s also a reminder that the responsibility we all have, and we were all once that vulnerable baby in a manger.
It makes you grateful that we have good healthcare, and we are in a safe country, unlike the region these events were described in the miracle in the birth of Jesus.
While it has religious meaning, recently we lost Shane MacGowan who wrote one of my favourites non-church Christmas songs Fairtytale of New York, I think that song sums up a more modern Christmas, arguments, drinking, bickering while we all hope for a peaceful Christmas its for many the time of year we spend with our family.
I think we all would love for a peaceful Christmas but its not always possible but isn’t always possible, one of the messages in the story of Christmas and the bible is we are only human. In Isiah 61:1-11 it teaches us we need to find a way to come to terms with our mistakes accepting little breeches and remember while we may live with that, in the end god looks not at one sin but when judgement day comes God aided potentially by Jesus will judge us on our whole record.