My high school Sociology teacher once said, "You'll never find a group of protesters shouting, 'Everything's OK! Everything's OK!'"
Protests exist because we humans discover (if not early on, quickly into the middle school years) we live in a fractured world.
Today, I don't plan to offer a clean cut solution, no bow to slap onto a poorly wrapped globe. But a Christmas classic inspired me. As my wing watched the chipper elf traverse through the gumdrop forest and through the Lincoln Tunnel, I found my new role model:
Buddy the elf.
He works hard in all circumstances.
I collided into finals week as if it was a concrete floor. I've skimped on assignments, made begrudging study guides, and put in a mere 20% if effort at best.
Buddy, on the other hand, works hard at everything he does. From decorating a store for Santa to making a rocking horse out of spare wood, Buddy throws all of himself into whatever he sets forth to accomplish. How many people can you say you know who do that?
He accepts people despite their flaws.
Does our world exist in a courtroom? Because it seems like everyone's a judge.
We cower behind veils in fear someone will spy our blemishes, our scars. Buddy sees all these shortcomings and disregards them.
Walter: Buddy's biological father takes the word jerk to a whole new meaning. He wants nothing to do with either of his sons (Buddy and Michael). He places work above the family and lands himself on the naughty list. Nevertheless, Buddy calls him "the best dad ever."
Michael: Buddy's stepbrother takes a strong disliking to the chipper elf upon their first meeting. Promptly telling Buddy how "weird" he is and wishing for him to go away, Buddy still protects Michael when bullies bombard the standoffish kid with snowballs.
Jovie: Like Michael, she tries to push Buddy away. She ignores his friendly greetings and flaunts her pessimism. Unshaken, Buddy manages to put more than a smile on her face.
He spreads joy in dark places.
Buddy walks into a broken family situation. He meets characters who "are just trying to get through the holidays" when the apartment shuts their water off and others who work in a bleak mailroom because of layoffs.
The determined elf's positivity rubs off on everyone he meets. From breakout dances in the mailroom to Jovie caroling in Central Park, Buddy proves even in the darkest of places one can be a light.
