Before another Christmas departs, I wish goodness to carapace your life.

Perhaps you don’t celebrate Christ’s birth. Me neither. But I do admire his life and teachings, especially to love your neighbor as yourself.

Rick, a friend who is a practicing Buddhist and Catholic, waits until this day to raise the tree and to begin contemplating the meaning of this sacred moment, apart from the material trappings.

You know, it’s not easy to love yourself. That’s because, as one ages, it becomes harder to lie to oneself. Besides, Santa sees all, doesn’t he?

I think people who don’t love their neighbor don’t love themselves. So that’s where the work needs to be done, loving yourself.

And not your false self, the perfect one — that’s gotten me into trouble.

No, that schmuck in the mirror, the one with the misshapen nose, he’s precious.

And so are each of them, our neighbors!

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