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At this time of the year (December 2023) the focus of most literature and television adverts seems to be about eating, drinking, giving presents and the copious consumption of material "things".

Yesterday I posted a question on Christianity Stack Exchange looking for a reference to an uplifting and inspirational meditation for Christmas Eve and Ken Graham found the answer.

Since there is no Winter Bash on Stack, I would like to invite everyone to share any uplifting and inspirational thoughts for this time of the year. Poetry or literature (serious or funny) or even experiences of kindness and compassion from others.

As the days shorten and the weather deteriorates (here in the northern hemisphere), wouldn't it be nice to focus on uplifting thoughts?

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    Closevoters, mind the tags! Nothing wrong with the proposal of a fun initiative every now and then!
    – Joachim
    Commented Dec 11, 2023 at 12:21
  • Here's hoping, @Joachim, that no one creates a squirrel-pr0n.
    – francescalus
    Commented Dec 11, 2023 at 12:31
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    I read your comment, @Joachim, as saying that the correctness of a close vote/topicality of a question depends on which tags are used on the question. Like most of those not wanting to splinter the already struggling squirrels-in-lingerie web community, I'm nervous about tags being used as such an arbiter. (sharing would itself seem to be a mis-tag here.)
    – francescalus
    Commented Dec 11, 2023 at 12:54
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    I don't understand how it's related to winter bash. It was never about any uplifting thoughts, it was just event where people get hats. Some enjoyed it, some worked hard to get hats, etc. But there were never any meta posts accompanying it asking for any thoughts.
    – Shadow Wizard
    Commented Dec 11, 2023 at 13:57
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    Re "weather deteriorates": That is hemisphereism. There is full-on summer in (some parts of) the Southern Hemisphere. Some parts have different seasons (e.g., dry, wet, humid, stormy, calm, etc.) or a single one year-round (for example, tropical rainforest climate (with or without the rainforest)).
    – This_is_NOT_a_forum
    Commented Dec 11, 2023 at 18:55
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    @francescalus No, I meant it more in the sense that this question has a [fun] tag, and there should be space for fun initiatives. I also see the question as asking for ideas to create such an initiative, and not as an invitation to share "uplifting thoughts" here (which I think is why this got closed).
    – Joachim
    Commented Dec 11, 2023 at 20:03
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    I agree with @Joachim (voted to reopen.)
    – Shadow Wizard
    Commented Dec 12, 2023 at 9:08
  • A big no from me - this time of the year is probably my least favourite. Enforced "fun", time with people you don't want to spend time with, time with people - I would far rather enjoy the dark and stormy winter without anything like "uplifting" thoughts from others. I know that sounds like I'm the Grinch, but normally I'm reasonably pleasant, just not this time of year.
    – Rory Alsop
    Commented Dec 30, 2023 at 17:12
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    @RoryAlsop - I agree with you about the enforced "fun", and especially today, when a lot of the people in Scotland (where I live) need a two-day public holiday to recover from their hangovers. We are crossing the border to spend the last day of 2023 in a national park to get away from all the excesses and quietly enjoy God's creation. Roll on Tuesday 2 January when sunrise here is one minute earlier than on January 1, and we can look forward to slowly increasing daylight. We all cheer up when exposed to sunshine. May the sun shine on you in the year ahead.
    – Lesley
    Commented Dec 31, 2023 at 7:55
  • @Lesley - yep, another Scot here. I've been for a wee swim in the loch this morning, and will do the same tomorrow morning. In the peace and quiet. Happy 2024 to you too!
    – Rory Alsop
    Commented Dec 31, 2023 at 13:10
  • I have no idea how to pronounce this in Scottish Gaelic, but I'm sure you will understand: "Bliadhna mhath ur"
    – Lesley
    Commented Jan 1 at 14:31

4 Answers 4

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The only truly uplifting thought I have in conjunction with Stack Exchange is that it will regain its actual critical role in clarifying thoughts.

Deck the Halls with random garbage
AI Generated answers to all your needs
Why even bother asking a question
AI Generation predicts your needs
Don we now our rose colored glasses
blah blah blah, blah blah blah, that seems right

Lame questions can go to Bing Chat where you will get something between the truth and wishful thinking and real questions can come here where you'll get an expert response.

This possibly will reawaken some sort of humanism that'll spark a few people to start thinking about their souls, and then maybe talking about their souls and when people start talking about their souls things get interesting.

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    Outstanding! 10 minutes after reading this I'm still clutching my sides and laughing out loud. Many a true word said in jest?
    – Lesley
    Commented Dec 11, 2023 at 15:18
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It’s not the lack of Winter Bash that's the 'issue', but rather the general environment. The loss of voices that spoke for us in the community, voluntary or involuntary. What feels like a repeat of the same patterns that hurt the community in the past.

So I don't have any platitudes, or any happier thoughts than....

Maybe Hope. It’s a warm thought in dark winter nights of the soul.

And maybe we'll be able to build the communities to call the folks we've lost home in the future.

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    Generative AI certainly isn't going to generate community!
    – Peter Turner
    Commented Dec 11, 2023 at 14:19
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    It isn't the first time this has happened, Its just the latest.
    – Journeyman Geek
    Commented Dec 11, 2023 at 14:22
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No.

I mean, sure, if you want to focus on positive thoughts, go for it, but please don't post them here. The SE sites have topics for a reason, and if we just post off topic "good thoughts" because it's Christmas, given that Christmas comes once a year, we will soon be full of such posts. How do they help us build a useful library of answers? Or, if posted here on MSE, how do they help us build a useful support resource for our users?

So no, please don't do this. Let's keep the sites for what each site is intended and avoid polluting them with off topic noise, no matter how nice, friendly, uplifting and positive that noise may be.

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    I have only just found out that there is a Christianity meta site, and that is where I should have gone. Nonetheless, this has been an illuminating and inspiring journey. It's always good to learn new things. Good job I have thick skin, eh?
    – Lesley
    Commented Dec 11, 2023 at 15:03
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    Oh. Um, I'm sorry @Lesley, I really didn't intend any of this as an attack on you! I didn't want you to need thick skin, and I am sorry if it came across that way. I know you mean well, I just don't really want this sort of thing here. But I certainly didn't intend for you to feel bad and I honestly apologize if your thick skin was needed when reading my answer. I was only thinking about what I, personally, want to see here.
    – terdon
    Commented Dec 11, 2023 at 15:24
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    Rest easy. No offence taken as none was intended. I don't feel bad, and neither should you.
    – Lesley
    Commented Dec 11, 2023 at 15:27
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“I heard a bird sing
in the dark of December.
A magical thing.
And sweet to remember.

We are nearer to Spring
than we were in September.
I heard a bird sing in
the dark of December.”

~ Oliver Herford

This one crossed my Bluesky feed a few weeks ago. It's appropriate: I got a bird feeder for my birthday this year, and now that it's winter it's being frequented daily by quite a flock of great tits, house sparrows, the occasional robin, a pair of doves and a pair of magpies. I aimed an old webcam at it, and I do enjoy the occasional bird watching during boring meetings.

It's standing just outside my bedroom window, and when I'm working from home (my desk is also in the bedroom), I can hear the birds chirping and pecking at seeds through the trickle vent, and am reminded of this poem: Each day is one that's a little closer to spring, to drier weather, to that first walk outside in perfect temperatures before the summer heatwaves start, to new flowers in the garden, and to less dark evenings.

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