Dear Intrigued,
OK, I admit it, no one really wrote this question. But at least once or twice a year I should get a chance to just write what I want, so humor me.
This month I noticed a spike in the number of packages being delivered by the big brown truck (which happens to be manufactured by Morgan Olson, a new Canary client for 2017). When I asked my wife why she was ordering so much online she replied "it's the people Gary, I hate seeing people act so rudely towards one another". I thought about it and you know what? She's right! I hadn't realized it but I had been avoiding going places I knew would be crowded for the same reason.
I'm not sure what it is about the Christmas holiday that can sometimes bring out the worst in us, but I certainly wish it wasn't the case. Maybe we are all a little stressed by trying to find the perfect gift, making our dollars stretch a bit further, or the knowledge that a family argument is only one Christmas dinner away. Should we be surprised? Probably not, especially when we consider how the very first Christmas started.
Mary and Joseph were certainly stressed and things seemed to be trending down and to the right. A tyrannical Roman government was requiring a census that would certainly lead to more taxes. Not to mention this caused a long journey during the final days an already controversial pregnancy. And then the final blow... no room in the inn, just a stable for accommodations. Yet, somehow, through all of this, they found an irresistible source of joy. A joy that not only transformed their hearts but spread around the world and even 2,000 years later is still a cause for celebration.
This year I am challenging myself, our company, and you to remember that first Christmas. When you encounter people at their worst, respond with your best. Repay anger with grace and hatred with love. That is what this world so desperately needs and it starts with me and you.
God Bless each of you and remember the words from one of the Christmas classics....
Let your heart be light
From now on your troubles will be out of sight
Make the Yuletide gay
From now on your troubles will be miles away"
Sincerely,
Gary Stern
