Merry Christmas everyone. And a belated Happy Chanukah for those of us who celebrated it.

I’ve been pondering whether it is better to be a happy moron or a sentient worrier. It brings to mind two stories, one a favorite of my late Uncle Albert, the other from my grandfather of blessed memory.

My Uncle’s story was simple. Life is like a walk to the guillotine in which you are soon to be executed for a crime you may or may not have committed. On the way you notice your shoe laces are untied. Some will say, “Why bother to tie my shoes. I’m going to die soon anyway.” Others will tie their shoes just because that is the dignified thing to do. That is the difference between people.

My grandfather’s story is a variant of one by Rabbi Nachman, a famous Chassidic figure. One night a man has a prophetic dream that next year’s wheat crop will be contaminated in such a say that everyone who eats it will go crazy. He tries to warn the townspeople but they mock him and disregard his advice. Still, he saves up extra wheat from this year’s crop just in case. Sure enough, the following year produces crazy wheat and everyone who eats of it goes insane.

My grandfather had two different endings to the story. When he was more optimistic he would say, “You know what they did? They put HIM in the insane asylum.”

But when he was more pessimistic he would end the story this way. “You know what happened to him? He got so lonely that he ate the crazy wheat.”

Looking at what seems to be the inexorable drift toward the destruction of culture, of Western Civilization, of the Judeo-Christian values of America, the disregard for fairness, the outright intellectual dishonesty of our leaders (both elected and not), and the gathering storms of China, Iran, militant Islam, and the green/red coalition, I struggle not to succumb to the fantasy that the happy moron is better off than the sentient worrier.

But it does get lonely and discouraging when you choose not to eat the crazy wheat.

So thanks to W and all the others here at BC. My gratitude for all of you and for this wonderful virtual community is beyond words.

Let’s pray and act for a better New Year.