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Christmas Article on Socks Generates Hate Mail

It’s funny what will make some people mad. It differs from person to person. While I’d like to believe that I’m always a patient person, but there are definitely some things that fare up in anger inside of me. Typically, though, I do not lash out at others with these feelings.

I don’t think I’ve ever written a piece of hate mail in my whole life.

I was brought up with the belief, “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.”

 

Edmonton Woman Magazine, November/December Issue

Edmonton Woman Magazine, November/December Issue

While there are absolutely times when people need to speak up – against terrorism, injustice, abuse… the list goes on – I never thought SOCKS would be a point of contention with one of my readers. Who would have thought a light-hearted article on socks at Christmas would push a person over the edge and make them send a nasty email to the writer?

Here is my Christmas article in the current issue of Edmonton Woman Magazine (November/December). Click the image to enlarge. You can also read it on the magazine’s site by clicking here.

Alexis Marie Uncensored Socks for Christmas Edmonton WOman Magazine blog

After re-reading the article again after receiving the hate mail, I had to pause. My first thought was: “did this person and I read the same thing?”

Socks? Seriously? Don’t we have bigger problems in the world to speak-up about other than socks?

If you read the article just now, what do you think? Am I a bad, ungrateful, spoiled person who doesn’t care about others? You know what, don’t answer that. I know who I am. I love and celebrate the person I have become over the years. At the end of the day, what others think about me doesn’t matter – not one tiny bit.

In the spirit of Christmas, in a season of love, generosity and kindness, I forgive that angry person for sending hate out into the world. Life is too short to let that negativity fester. AND – I hope s/he receives a lovely pair of socks for Christmas.

Thanks for reading!

Merry Christmas!

 

– Alexis Marie Chute

 

Click here to read my other articles for Edmonton Woman magazine. 

The Cottage Days of Summer

Where has the summer gone? I always feel this way as September nears. Do you as well? When the weather was just warming this season, I wrote an article called Cottage Days for the Edmonton Senior and Calgary Senior Newspapers. In the article I interviewed two energetic women about their experiences owning a cottage and hosting friends and family over the summer. I have been a guest of both women and know they are examples worthy to be followed.

Image from Edmonton Woman Magazine website.

Image from Cottage Days article, Edmonton Woman Magazine website.

Please click on the link here to read Cottage Days.

This summer my family spent some time in a “cottage” of our own. It was a wood-walled A-frame cabin with a sink and toilet and a place to sleep. It was cozy… and when I say that, I mean small – but that is what I loved about it. We only hung out in there at bed time as we read our books and snuggled into sleeping bags.

There is something magical about cottage days, escaping it all and reducing the needs to a humble few.

Have you ever vacationed at a cottage? What was your experience like?

Thanks for reading!