In keeping with all of the upcoming Holiday festivities and occasional madness surrounding them, I stopped for a moment to ponder on how and what it must have taken for people to commute back and forth to their personal and favorite Holiday destinations over and during past years. I'm not exactly sure when the human race began to establish and recognize Holidays, but I'm sure there were special events that were for whatever reason, significant enough to lead them and us into what we celebrate today from one year to the next. This part of the equation is sometimes puzzling. How and what were their modes of travel? Perhaps, we should go back, I mean way back, far back, perhaps to a time forgotten......
The date is unknown and all the exact places no longer exist. An era where men and women lived mostly in caves. They were grouped together as clans or tribes, yet some remained to live apart and alone. As they learned more and more about their surroundings and became more familiar with the changing of each season, when food was abundant and sometimes scarce. Still yet, I'm sure they must have visited each other during those special times.
If distant travel became a necessity, I envision this may have been how they got it done. Fortunately for the others, the only delay in reaching their destination on time had not been discovered or invented yet. Things like locating the nearest and cheapest gas stations.
As we move farther into the more present future, these guys had less of the hardships as the previously mentioned holiday travelers. The terrain was definetly rough and tough, but at least if it rained they could still keep their appointment, stay dry and not run the risk of being eaten by what the previously mentioned guys chose to ride upon. I just think they had to really have a good idea about exactly where in the heck was their favorite uncle Billy Bob's house was located and could they actually make it there by Xmas, without having to stop and deal with altering their route due to unscheduled visits by unfriendly indians, who probably were traveling and shopping for the Holiday's too .
Today, as you know things are quite different. We have calendars, Macys department stores, television, online shopping and each other to remind us of the Holiday Seasons. Although, we could walk, run, drive, float, and of course fly to destinations today, the real problem we face is that with all these modern luxuries, traveling during the holidays can still become quite difficult, costly and extremely stressful.
For example, after deciding and preparing to make the trip, what day would be the best day of the week to tackle the dreaded airport......ummm? It has been said that the Wednesday before a Holiday is by far the worst day to travel. Yet, travel appears to ease, especially on the actual Holiday. In kind, the worst day to choose for return travel is Saturday, because you run into all the commuters who left from where ever they were a few days earlier.
But, there is a possible solution, for soon and very soon, none of the above forementioned Holiday headache issues will matter. There will be no more issues of stressful traveling, gift selections, excuses or worrying whether or not we can observe this or that Holiday and will it conflict with our personal lives or different religious beliefs. There and only there, at that place and time, it is said that...
"Everyday will be a Holiday"
Until then, where ever you are in the world, from me and mine, to you and yours.....
Have a Safe and Happy Holiday Season.
* Portions reposted from an archieve post titled, "I'll Be There".
