Legends, Myths, and Heroes

As we barrel into the Christmas season a colleague posted a question about myths and realities; do they do harm or good, do they have a place in the work setting.

Christmas is an interesting time. Part of me deplores the commercialization that we have experienced. I remember distinctly being in a department store where they were playing Christmas music before Thanksgiving! I have to be honest, I didn't find it festive, I found it annoying.
I don't think there are too many people left who don't realize that Jesus of Nazareth was not born on December 25. Or that Santa Claus is a composite of potentially a number of people from different cultures and times. Or even that don't recognize that many of our customs are from pagan rituals that were co-opted for political purposes to create something that people could rally around.

There are parts of the Christmas "spirit" that I like a lot. The spirit of stopping momentarily to consider the "gifts" we all have been given. To consider others and take a break from our everyday realities and spend time with our families and even considering others. Should we do it every day, you bet, but starting with a season is a beginning.

I am a "recovering" idealist, romantic, and lover of stories and legends. One of my personal favorites is that of Arthur and Merlin. I especially like the versions by Mary Stewart and Jack Whyte where they describe these characters in rich detail as real people with real faults who worked hard to overcome them. The idea of Arthur as a succession planning exercise spanning several generations in Whyte's Camulod series was especially intriguing. It describes Arthur's great grandfather recognizing a coming change several generations away and planning for a leader who would be up to the challenges of uniting people with very different viewpoints and the planning that went into his eventual role as "high king" of Britain.

I think that people still want and need heroes. I think we still wat ideas that are bigger than us and aspirational as well. One of the things I like about engagement is that it is about things bigger than a person. It is about commitment to a set of values and ideas.

John Kennedy achieved almost legendary status, but we now realize he was a real person with real flaws. I personally think Bill Clinton is a brilliant man. I have issues with his character, but I respect his intellect.

It is interesting that Barrack Obama has not been sworn into office yet and we are already dissecting his character. I saw a news program the other day where people were complaining that his cabinet appointments weren't diverse enough. They didn't so much take issue with gender or ethnicity, but rather viewpoint.

I like to think I have my feet grounded in reality, but I must admit a passion for the big idea, the grand experiment.

I guess in the end I like my legends, heroes, and myths, as long as we don't allow these inspirational people and stories to obscure reality.

The whole thing reminds me a little of a quote attributed to John Lennon when he was asked whether or not the Beatles would ever get back together- he was quoted as saying "...the Beatles are a little bit like Jesus, I wish people would focus on what we had to say, not who said it."

As you might suspect Lennon was criticized for comparing the Beatles to Jesus. I don't think that is what he meant. I think rather he meant that sometimes the value is focusing on the message not the messenger.

So I guess as we move to the "holidays" let us consider issues like peace, understanding, charity, and hope; not whether the messenger was a Jewish carpenter or a jolly man with a weight problem in a red suit.

Whatever tradition you follow and whatever beliefs guide you I wish you and your families all the best as we bring one year to a close and begin another. Thanks you to all of you for your support and encouragement, I appreciate it more than I can adequately express.