Holiday Decorations

Here in Odessa, the holiday decorations are going up. Each day there are more. The big celebration here is for New Years Eve on December 31. Christmas follows on January 7. When we first arrived, we walked by City Hall and Primorskiy Boulevard which are both very scenic areas, but when we walked there again last night, the transformation was amazing. The building and the trees were covered with colorful lights providing a winter wonderland. As we walk around this city, the contrasts are striking, much as the dramatic difference made by the lights. There are beautiful buildings, well maintained and bustling with the activity of well dressed, apparently affluent people. There are also many buildings that are worn and dreary looking, obviously in need of maintenance. There are also many buildings, especially near the city center area, that are undergoing various degrees of renovation. Everywhere you see people, well dressed as for a night on the town. There are also those who obviously struggle to survive. The economy has improved over the last few years, but remnants of the Soviet era are still very evident. You see small children with their parents, groups of teenagers, business people, elderly people, wedding parties going to the popular spots for photos. Some people seem happy, but many never seem to smile, whether due to a bad day or a hard life, we will never know. One thing that strikes me is that whenever we visit the orphanage, the kids smile and greet us. They seem to be happy. Knowing that they have had difficult lives, at best, it illustrates that we can determine what our attitudes will be, what type of an image we present to others. We can choose how we feel, how we react to situations, how we respond to others. I have decided that, whenever I have a down day, I will try to remember these kids and the way they seem to try to make the best of things. I know that we aren't seeing them all the time, but it still gives me hope. What better time of year for hope than at Christmas.