"The mirror reflects back
what we do not want to see,
in ourselves and others.
Reflections are the truth.
And the truth is
a hard place to exist."
Can we go back to a time
when Christmas and Santa was real.
When you could see beyond
the commercialisation of Christ's birth
to the core meaning
of family and gratitude,
of joy, love and peace?
Can we go back to a time
when Christmas was "presents from Santa"
that were actually from hard-working parents
trying to make their children's dreams come true
or at least show how much they loved their little ones.
Can we go back to a time
when the homelessness,
the war, the famine,
the animal cruelty and steaming pile of shite
this world serves up
because of the of the inhumanity, its disgrace
was dulled out by the tinsel and flashing lights
the sound of cheesy songs and crackers pulled,
bad jokes being told and
feast shovelled down our throats?
We can't.
We can't ever go back.
Always moving forward.
As we get older, it's harder to hide ourselves from
the uneasy truths that Christmas makes light of and covers.
The inconvenience of all the suffering and pain,
caused by injustice, hatred and a lack of love that exists in the world.
We can't go back.
We can only go forward.
How we do that is up to each on of us individually.
I'm not going to tell you how to do Christmas
or you should avoid doing Christmas.
I'm not going to sit quiet, either.
People love to show their generosity by paying forward and secret Santaing.
Maybe it's the little things that make a difference.
I am not sure.
It's better than sitting and just ignoring the bad
because everything is oh so good within your own four walls.
Of course it's good that things are good.
By all means celebrate that.
Celebrate your wins, reflect on your losses.
Remember you are not an island and others matter.
Without sanitising and cleaning up for Christmas
Allowing the snow and ice and decorations
to cover over the unsightly reality
Let it motivate us to strive for better
About the Creator
Paul Stewart
Award-Winning Writer, Poet, Scottish-Italian, Subversive.
The Accidental Poet - Poetry Collection out now!
Streams and Scratches in My Mind coming soon!
Reader insights
Outstanding
Excellent work. Looking forward to reading more!
Top insights
Heartfelt and relatable
The story invoked strong personal emotions
Excellent storytelling
Original narrative & well developed characters
Eye opening
Niche topic & fresh perspectives
Expert insights and opinions
Arguments were carefully researched and presented
Compelling and original writing
Creative use of language & vocab
On-point and relevant
Writing reflected the title & theme
Easy to read and follow
Well-structured & engaging content
Keep reading
More stories from Paul Stewart and writers in Poets and other communities.
Comments (20)
We can't go back but I sure wish we could. I would visit with my murdered son. I found this sad because I wish we could go back even for just one day. Nicely done!!
“We can't go back. We can only go forward.” So very true once you have seen behind the curtain of commercialism. Some very contemplative and challenging reflections in this, Paul. Well penned.
Very thoughtful and honest insights; it's far too easy to lose sight of the suffering around us for the sake of holiday cheer, and I appreciate this call to keep our eyes open and hearts kind. Cheers, Paul!
A heartfelt reflection! It lays bare the contrast between the nostalgic glow of past Christmases and the harsh realities of the world today. Honest and unflinching, yet it ends with a call to celebrate, reflect, and do better—a raw and thought-provoking holiday reminder. :)
Even if we could go back, where would we go to? Good old times have never been as good as we may remember them.
"Remember you are not an island and others matter." Everyone should keep that in mind. Loved your poem, Sir Paul 🍩🥐
Ahhhh! It was like you pulled in front of a mirror and said, "that's what you missed, take a look again!" And the truth is a hard place to exist." You said the most true words in a fraction of second and I love it! 💖🙌
I love the vibe of the Paul!! The reminder of what really matters this season and the how we can better ourselves in a world that could use a little more kindness! Loved it!!
You're right, we can't go back. It would be nice though, wouldn't it?
This was absolutely outstanding! The title itself is beautiful. Incredible work, Paul! 💓🎄🌟
Hot damn. This was so good. But so bleak at the same time too. I guess Christmas is an escape at times - I’m not saying you should/ can forget all the terrible things that are happening but sometimes it’s nice to just have fun. Pure and simple. But this was such a great message and so well written.
Paul, this is really moving and somewhat hopeful even in its despair. Thanks for writing something poignant and meaningful <3
As long as you know the real meaning of Christmas which is Jesus you can celebrate any way you want and can see and hear. Great work that will make you think.
I do not have a strong Christmas spirit. Important things have been forgotten or skipped over and replaced by commercial influences that put people even further behind the eight-ball in their lives. I think your poem sums it up well.
Great poem and great message. We get so caught up in wanting to go back, we miss the things we could create moving forward. Loved this!
The mirror of time and space reflecting all of us tuned into moving forward, Mother Mary full of grace as in one of my songs. I agree!
I don't know if I should say sad or realistic. Of course we can't go back, but truthfully that is probably where the best memories are. Well Done!!
‘The mirror reflects back what we do not want to see.’ There is a certain vampirism in the commercialization of holidays isn’t there? The original Saint Nicholas’ charity has gone ape shit crazy and generosity of spirit and pocketbook have grown sadly rare. Thank for reminding us that there is a reason for the season that has little to do with the reflection we see in the mirror, Paul.
If I could, I would definitely go to my school time. Unforgettable era!
I wish I could go back. Life was so happy and simple then