Rattling the Bones

Christmas is in 12 days.   When I was a child I loved the idea of the Advent calendar.   I was brought up Catholic and was educated by nuns at the convent.   In Latin the word “advent” means “coming”.     It explicitly speaks of anticipation and merriment two incredibly important characteristics in the experience of celebration.   For example, through time “we” told the story of Saint Nick and his reindeer to build up a sense of mystery and expectancy in children.   The same way children of the antiquity expected the coming of Christ.   The notion of having to prove ourselves good to a Father figure who only wants to be generous and make us happy,   invited children to prepare for his coming.    Where the hope and keenness during Advent was more spiritual in the past, it became more secular and focused on consumerism in modern days.   One way or another the month of December is devoted to the study and journey of magic and anticipation.   Advent calendars were big at the co

Montreal is buzzing with people (tourists, local residents and students) especially three weeks before Christmas and at rush hour.   While in the big city today I couldn’t help but notice how countless people were fiddling with their phones even while crossing the street.    Ironically, it was an unusual phenomenon for me.   It seems not too long ago, our parents used to tell us to stay off the phone because it was meant specifically for emergency purposes.    I remember being 19 years old.   ET (my husband but boyfriend at the time) and I used to talk for hours on the phone until his father couldn’t get through and get a ride home from the airport.   We were consequently lectured: “ Nobody needs to say that much to each other .”   I guess my father-in-law along with most people of his generation didn’t predict today’s major technological shift into cell phones. At a red light side by side to a city bus I couldn’t help but peek at the passengers and count an overwhelming number o