Merry, Merry...

George poses in a borrowed "Ho, Ho, Ho!" jacket with scant tolerance for the indignity...

Despite which, he joins us in sending good wishes to all.

And here's the Buddhist Christmas poem I wrote for Ellie:

Sometimes…

... when you forget (and here,

by “you” I mean not just

you, but you and me and

everyone;) when you

forget to remember

who you think you are

and what you think, and

what you think you know,

and what you think

you need; when you

leave thought behind

and words give way

to silence; and when

silence yields in turn

to measureless, spacious

emptiness; then, some-

times the mind is freed

from rage and fear

and grief, expanding

into the great solace

and the possibility of joy.

(For Ellie, at Christmas,

and for all good friends,

with love)