Holiday Mood Swings

It’s that time of the year again when we find ourselves in the midst of the holiday season. We just celebrated Thanksgiving and Hanukkah with all the trimmings, and soon it would be Christmas.

It’s during the holidays that we find ourselves miraculously transformed as if by magic. What is it about these days that brings about positive changes in our lives? At least for the time being, it makes us better persons. It makes us more tolerant and forgiving of each other’s faults. It makes us put our selfishness aside and let our humanity stand out.

I remember that when I was a kid, I looked forward to Christmas. My parents did, too. Since it brought out the best behavior in me, my father would like me treat every day as Christmas. Of course, it was wishful thinking. I knew my limitations. I couldn’t be good every day of the year. I had to have my bad moments. As I grew older, I also realized that holidays like Christmas make the year interesting. If all days are the same, it’d be like going to school without recess or singing the same song over and over again. It’d be bloody boring, indeed, as the British would say.

I know that the holidays this year won’t be as happy to some people as in the previous years. I’m speaking of the unfortunate victims of circumstances beyond their control like those who suffered from the recent super typhoon in the Philippines, and likewise those who lost their jobs during the last recession, and whose outlook for finding a new one grows dimmer the longer they are out of work.

Recently, i received an e-mail from a former co-worker who was laid off two years ago:

 
I’m still out of work. I had 2 face-to-face interviews at an upstart company and a healthcare company a couple of months ago. I have had numerous phone interviews from recruiters and HR’s but somehow I must not be doing something right because I’m still looking. Or, the market has just gone really bad! I’d like to think the latter. If you have any tips for job searching and interviewing, please send them this way…

 
I used to be a Mr. Know-It-All. But now I find myself clueless. It pains me that I can’t help her.

If there’s a silver lining, the San Francisco Bay Area where she lives is currently leading the state in job creation. In October alone, it accounted for more than one-third of the 38,900 jobs created statewide, according to Sunday’s San Jose Mercury News. I wish her the best of luck.

May the true spirit of the season be with us all. Let’s look forward to the New Year remembering that the best things in life are free.