The Thrill of Possibility

The end of the year has found me grateful for so many things: my family and loved ones, my health and countless small miracles.

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This year I put my tree up early. Super early. Okay, not so early that the candy canes for Christmas crowded out the candy corn for Halloween, but I needed the good cheer and nostalgia that the Yuletide promises posthaste. Seeking a reprieve from a news cycle of genocide, war, post-US election results, disappointments and tragedies both far-flung and close to home, I prepared to celebrate my sixth Christmas in Japan in earnest. As such, my tree was decorated well before the fourth Thursday in November.

In the United States, that particular Thursday is a federal holiday, and so long as no one talks politics or blasphemously brings stove-top mac and cheese from a box to the table, it can be a mostly celebratory gathering of family and friends over dinner. That fourth Thursday is also a sobering National Day of Mourning meant to challenge the mythology surrounding Thanksgiving and to raise awareness of Indigenous American peoples and cultures. It is also the precursor to Black Friday.

…so long as no one talks politics or blasphemously brings stove-top mac and cheese from a box to the table, it can be a mostly celebratory gathering of family and friends over dinner.

Black Friday is the unofficial start of the holiday shopping season in the US (and a few other countries) and has a Philadelphia-based origin story dating back to the 1950s. Footage of people trampling one another to buy discounted things is an extreme hallmark of everything many of us get wrong about (and tacitly participate in - self included), the holiday season: rampant consumerism, materialism, economic inequality, exploitative labor practices etcetera, etcetera, etcetera. I’ve seen the occasional Black Friday sale in Tokyo but it’s not really a thing here - at least not yet. Otherwise, the fourth Thursday in November in Japan is, well … just that, the fourth Thursday in November.

And so, to keep my days merry and bright, the Vince Guaraldi Trio’s A Charlie Brown Christmas album stayed on heavy rotation and a Yule Log burned in HD on my TV practically round the clock. I attempted dozens of classic holiday movies but kept returning to Tokyo Godfathers, a new favorite and before I knew it, ‘twas the night before Christmas.

Because I’m a book lover I’m doing my best to ensure my children are readers too and it has been our tradition on Christmas Eve to do a book themed Secret Santa. Early that evening, my oldest texted to ask if his friend, T, could come over. I said yes and hurriedly wrapped another book. When we began the exchange, T protested he had no gift to give. I told him don’t worry about it, we were just happy he could join us. Nevertheless, a few minutes later T left the dining room and returned with a bulky backpack from which he pulled a handful of unopened Magic: The Gathering card packs, began distributing them, and invited us to play.

MTG is a fantasy tabletop card game that falls somewhere in the realm of Role Playing Games like Dungeons & Dragons and encourages card collecting like Pokemon but it is neither of those things. T patiently began to explain the rules. (My older two already know how to play. My husband, myself and my younger two do not.) I did my best to follow T’s instructions but quickly found myself distracted by the artwork and text on the cards themselves. And truth be told, I was distracted by the youthful enthusiasm and certitude of the teenagers around my table. At one point I overheard T remark, “Oh, that’s the thrill of possibility,” and I laughed out loud because what teenager says something like that? But he turned and casually handed me a spell card titled Thrill of Possibility. It read:

“Remember all the great heroes who were careful and never did anything risky? Me neither.” — Syr Carah, the Bold

Later that night as my entire household slept and I finished wrapping the last of the presents in silence, I realized I was still thinking about the MTG card in particular and the events of the evening in general. A few of you may know how rare and incredible it is to be welcomed by teenagers into a world they love and I realized then that my children and T had no idea what a beautiful gift they’d shared with me that evening.

To be bold, take risks, and live life fully is something I desire. To create a welcoming home and to be receptive to learning new things is something I value. I want to go to sleep at night and wake each day in close proximity to people I love and with the thrill of possibility thrumming in my heart.

In this way, I am certain that whatever is yet to come, we can face it together.

The end of 2024 has found me grateful for so many things: my family and loved ones, my health and countless small miracles. And this morning, with just a few days left in December, I awoke looking forward to a new year, one of hope and possibility. I wish the same of you and yours. That’s all for now. See you in two weeks.

In Case You Missed It:

Newsletter No. 24 was a notice of haitus and a roundup of my writing on Occasionally Impervious.

On Haitus

A Few Things:

• This skit from a few years back about things that get lost in translation and Black Friday in Japan still makes me laugh.✊🏾

  

  @ricchaadotvIt’s the thought that counts. Also, I thought this was the origin of Black Friday for longer than I’d like to admit. #ricchaadotv #blackinjapan #芸人 #livinginjapan #日本語

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• Comedian and activist Reverend Billy and the Church of Stop Shopping’s message is one we can probably all get behind. “Stop shopping for Christmas and give the gift of time. Give the gift of love.” 🎁

• I still prefer the original, but hats off to Beyoncé for illuminating the meaning behind the Beatles’ song, “Blackbird” during her NFL Christmas Day halftime performance. As written by Paul McCartney in 1968, the song is a symbolic tribute to Black girls and women, and meant to inspire hope in the lives of the activists and everyday people of the civil rights movement.

• Finally, “The Remarkable Life of Ibelin” is hands down one of the best things I’ve watched in a long time. It’s a documentary about a young man with a degenerative muscular disease who found community and purpose in life through gaming. I’ve since watched it on more than one occasion including with my children. It’s worth your time.

TELL ME:

What are you looking forward to in 2025? Let’s talk about it in the comments. 🧚🏾

Reminders:

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