Today I just about finished all my holiday shopping. I made a stop in Yerba Buena Park because it was a clear night and, at last, not too cold. Up on top of the waterfall I was greeted with a view of the SFMOMA bathed in orange lights; must be something special for the holidays or I simply hadn't ever noticed it. For a moment I set down my bags of Christmas things, bulky with too much packaging, and looked out into the city. Suddenly I felt a chill and a gentle but sweeping loneliness.
This happens every year. As soon as a palette of Libby's canned pumpkin puree shows up at the supermarket, the my mood beings to decline. It's been declining and now Christmas is just 10 days away. It needs to stop and reverse course before it gets worse.