Mariner believes in group bonding as a key physiological behavior. It is a requirement to have a complete and, indeed, a happy life. Bonding is a real dimension of human existence without which there can be no comfort in the self and no gratification for the self.

Christmas is, for American society, a celebration of bonding. Like Thanksgiving, a celebration of harvesting, success and survival, Christmas is a celebration of harvested human social success, common beliefs, shared virtues of reciprocal support among family and community, and the joy of shared responsibility are but a few rewards we express at Christmas.

The most obvious expression experienced at Christmas is freely sharing one’s self by the giving of gifts and providing moral and material support between everyone.

Fortunately, mariner has had fulfilling Christmas experiences during his lifetime. His neighbors clear his driveway of snow; other neighbors gift his family with delicious food; his extended family raises the frequency of telephone and in-person visiting and enjoys reinforced bonding and emotional collaboration. He enjoys the deep feeling of bonding and sharing – and the only place to experience this needed feeling, is sharing and embracing a strong bond with others.

It needn’t be a large celebration with a lot of fanfare, it could be a simple act of going out of one’s way to show social bonding to another. For example, recently mariner (an old tar) was having great struggle trying to unload a heavy box from the car and carry it into the house. At that moment a stranger drove by, saw mariner’s plight, stopped his car and proceeded to carry the box to the house. Did mariner know this man? No. The stranger surely considered being a member of the community to be important and clearly exercised bonding that day.

My Christmas wish to everyone is to reach out and embrace others. Bonding is a unique emotional experience. Bonding is a critical survival skill. Bonding is fun.

Ancient Mariner