Perspective

JPG has a great post about films from his youth. In it, he said something that made me stop short.

One of my favorite observations is that “Age doesn’t necessarily bring wisdom, but it does provide perspective.”

That seems right. And so, in the spirit of the transition from the old year to a new one, I have a confession: I used to be a snob.

Even worse, I'm not sure that I knew it. I was focused on the Right Wines, or interesting European travel destinations, or reading the right (properly intellectual, that is) books.

Perspective has given me this realization: I'm sorry. It's taken a while to get to this point, but it's a huge relief to be here.

Nowadays, I get a kick out of people doing their own thing. Like this gentleman (it's almost certainly a gentleman, in my experience). He gets a kick out of lighting up his yard with Christmas cheer, and why the heck not? Sure, this would bug the heck out of the Conde Nast Traveller crowd, or even the Garden and Guns crowd. Perspective says that's not a bug, it's a feature.

Wrapping your palm tree with lights, and lining your walkway with glowing candy canes, all presided over by an inflatable Snowman - this is what liberty looks like.

Bravo Zulu, sir. Bravo Zulu.

And you know what real freedom is? Neighborhood competitions to see who can get the most tricked out holiday lighting:

The Baby Jesus, Santa on a Polar Bear (bear hidden by the bush, sorry), and the Angel Gabriel. Plus light-up icicles on the eves. And a light up reindeer behind the bush. The winning house* has the ultimate holiday light show:

• The Baby Jesus in a creche;
• Light up, inflatable Frosty the Snowman;
• Santa; and
• Mickey Mouse in an inflatable snow globe.
  

I love every bit of this. Made. Of. Win. What a great country.

Sometimes - not often, but sometimes - getting old is teh awesome.

* Sadly, we only saw this during the day. If I find it again, I'll post a picture of it, lit up at night.