In another four days it will be November. This begins the second part of the “holiday” season in the American mindset. I say that it is the season when we should be mindful of what is going on for others in our communities. In the United States, it is autumn — or early winter — and those of us who are less fortunate may end up really suffering as the rest of us start on our annual round of Thanksgiving/Christmas/(winter holiday) madness.

This is a time when the homeless really feel the pinch of the weather as temperatures dip below freezing and even those who have housing start feeling the pinch of heating costs. It is a time when people are more concentrated on spending money and less on giving a damn.

Because of these things, it is also a time for us to be mindful of the blessings the Gods have bestowed upon us. We hopefully have our health, we have food to eat and we have the Gods themselves giving us the wherewithal to endure another round of “the spirit of the season”

Halloween, a most frightful combination of Pagan and Christian holiday, is almost here and gone. The United States tribute to Tom Turkey is in about a month and the annual breaking of the credit cards is gearing up to a fever pitch. NOW is the time for us to focus on our civic responsibilities, NOW is the time for us to volunteer to help the less fortunate. NOW is the season for mindfulness.