Belated Blog

By Colleen McVey

It's about time I update my blog - sorry!

First, I want to thank everyone for your posts and prayers over the past few months. I am feeling much better and it's good to be back!

Now, for my Christmas wish. Let's all Stop, Slow Down and Smile. I was out shopping and it was crazy in the stores and on the roads. Everywhere I went - impatient drivers were honking at each other.  In West Babylon, a woman was nearly hit by a car when she walked into the road to move a runaway shopping cart on Montauk Highway. This woman was trying to help and the cars just kept speeding by her - some honking their horns like it was her fault. Then I passed an accident on Bethpage State Parkway. There was an officer on the scene and again horns were honking because traffic slowed down. In the stores - there were long lines and long faces. No one was smiling. I know everyone is in a rush - time and patience are running out - but we all (including me) need to take a deep breath and just relax. I recently read a story where researchers found smiling is contagious. So smile and pass it on. Put the "happy" back into Happy Holidays!

      

Comments

[Maryanne Scaglia]

Dear Colleen:
Glad to see you back healthy and happy. You were missed greatly for your down to earth manner that makes the news easily accepted-both good and bad. Your caring and concern certainly emits your personality. Missed seeing you at the Elections because of the qualities above bringing out the inside feelings on election night. Glad you are back. Can empathize as have been treated for an audiologists injury which left me with residual damage that now requires a hearing aid and without it -the volume has to be set at ++++. Thank God for closed captioning.

[Brian Maher]

Your return, healthy, happy, and SMILING, it as fine a Christmas present as I will receive.

Blessings,

Brian

[tommy]

You're right on the money, Colleen. I would add, not just for the holidays. Everybody could use a smile year 'round. Too much drama, not enough comedy.
On the subject, it gave me a big smile to click on 12 and see you behind the desk again. Missed you. Glad you're home.

[John]

But if everybody did that, then I'd lose out on my big guilty pleasure of the season! I can't explain it (other than the possibility that, deep down, I'm a real jerk), but I love to hit the malls this time of year, just to watch the frantic shoppers turn into savages.

Yep. I'm the guy who parked a mile away, because it's faster to walk than to find "the best parking space"...And because it's sometimes fun to turn around and see how many cars follow you to your great imaginary parking spot. I'm the guy out of the foot traffic, watching everybody pass and chuckling a bit at every dimwit who curses at a mother who has DARED to bring her children with her. And I'm the guy who gets on line at the most crowded store I can find, so that I can by some tiny, non-essential trinket and pay with exact change, giving at least one cashier a few extra seconds to breathe.

My philosophy is to let them have their obnoxiously rushed, materialistic Christmas or whatever other occasions they prefer. They'll waste energy and money for "the perfect gift" that nobody will enjoy and be unhappy doing it, but they give me the gift of entertainment every year. So I hope my smile isn't TOO contagious.

(I've thankfully never seen any of the people in danger. That would obviously change things for the worse.)

Also: Good to have you back and healthy.