The Five People You Meet in Line at Wal-Mart
| Published 12/10/04

Graphic by: Tim Tuley

Every year, Americans seem to go through the same mundane routine around the holiday season: eating, drinking, partying and spending insane amounts of money on presents for people they do not really like.

Doctors from the Cooper University Hospital, noticing an increase in heart-related emergency room visits, have now termed a condition as "holiday heart syndrome"; this condition occurs from Thanksgiving until the New Year, in which patients come in complaining about chest pain and suffer from an irregular heartbeat after a night of drinking. We are all guilty of eating tons of food and yes, even drinking during the holiday season. However, are we so detached that we have forgotten the true reason we all get a break for the holiday season?

No matter what your religion, the holiday season should be spent with family and friends, enjoying time together and celebrating the holiday in which you believe. It is not a time to stand in long lines on Christmas Eve, or rush out of the lighting of a candle on the menorah, because Wal-Mart is having a special on Tickle-Me Elmo's. Why not express your appreciation for the people around you by spending a day with them or making them a special photo album or other from-the-heart gifts, not by buying expensive gifts.

Everyone seems to gather with family members, only to argue about who said what 15 years ago or what little Timmy did on his third grade field trip. This is what the doctors deal with every year. When people are anxious, they start to drink and then over drink. The next thing you know, they end up at the hospital all, because mom just could not resist telling the story of how they ruined their life by not following her advice. Enough is enough. No wonder families live hundreds of miles away and only talk once a year.

My point here is that we touch so many lives during our lifetime. You hear it every year: people trying to change the way you are, because it's not the way they would have done it. Spend time with the people you care about the most. If those people are your parents, great! If they are your significant other's family, that's great also! Celebrate with the people you love. The number of lives we touch are infinite, so why try and find a gift for all those people? If you care about your roommate, get them a present. If you are not so crazy about him/her, a card would work too. That is my big escape: cards.

If you have not read Mitch Albom's "The Five People You Meet in Heaven," go borrow it from the library today. Its timing is perfect with the holiday season, and it will definitely make your life seem as meaningful as it truly is. Try to touch someone's life in a positive way this holiday season, even if it does mean letting your second-cousin twice removed tell the embarrassing story of how you broke your ankle on the bunny slope. They would not be telling it if they did not care about you. Try not to fall victim to over-priced commercialized holiday gifts, and make sure you make this holiday season worthwhile to the most important person: yourself.