Autumn has given way to winter in the northern hemisphere. The leaves have changed colors and fallen in piles that could easily subsume Wayne and Wanda. The wind has blown in temperatures that’ll freeze your assets. And we can finally don winter wear hoping we look as adorable as Kermit the Frog in a scarf. This is the time of year when we reach for all things cozy. We want to wrap ourselves in blankets, fill our favorite mug with hot chocolate and settle in with a furry friend. Many people are settling in for their annual viewings of various Muppet holiday favorites.
And why not? The Muppets fit into our winter traditions perfectly. We laugh at the pratfalls of Bunsen and Beaker. We sing along to the familiar songs. We bask in the warmth of a message about coming together to be part of something greater than any one person or puppet. And all feels right with the world.
Wonderful! I am so happy that the Muppets can provide this refuge from the weary days we’ve all had. I just want to point out one tiny thing: the Muppets fight through a whole lot of discomfort to reach that happy place. And it’s not the overarching discomfort of the world at large, as scary and onerous as that is sometimes. No, it’s a very personal and intimate discomfort that these characters experience. It’s those experiences that allow them to realize what they mean to each other and what they will do for each other. And they do it despite odds that seem stacked against them.
Whether it’s trudging through a blizzard to be with the gang on Christmas, fighting over-thorough security at the airport on the way to the North Pole or doing some serious soul-searching about one’s life choices, the best things in life are worth struggling for. No, that’s not right. The best people in life are worth struggling for. And friends, the struggle hasn’t ended now that it’s December.
We’ve come to the end of a long election season. But the talking points from that election haven’t stopped. And they’re not just talk. We’re still enduring attacks on the rights of women and queer people and immigrants. We’re still fighting for access to healthcare and affordable housing. And the people most affected by these things are people you know. They’re people you’re welcoming to your holiday parties this season. Or just as likely, they are you, and you’re struggling even as you smile at Rizzo log-rolling on a goose.
It’s not that we don’t know that discomfort. It’s not that we don’t want to find solutions to it or at least work towards solutions. It’s that we’re presented with overwhelming opportunities to mask it, ignore it, or cover it with nostalgia and good vibes. We scroll through our timelines to find all our favorite fandoms smiling back at us. We stream that movie we know verbatim. And this consumption of media can very easily lead us onto the treacherous icy patch, on which we’ll continue sliding further and further from the great big house where everyone can come together.
So how can we arrive at that place of comfort? If we want to usher everyone into the embrace of Emily Bear, we must first embrace the discomfort. We need to call out bad actors, push for inclusive and beneficial policies, and we need to do it again and again, in every place that we call home. And we need to do it like Muppets. Instead of turning to the Muppets for comfort, let’s turn to them for discomfort.
For those who are already uncomfortable and for those preparing to be uncomfortable, remember:
Always bring friends.
Even when Kermit feels like he’s alone, like he’s got the weight of the world on his shoulders, like he’s run out of options for how to fix the situation and surely he’s ruined everything, his friends are there for him. They buoy him up. They give him strength to try again and sometimes they provide an off-kilter solution that Kermit couldn’t have envisioned without them. Sometimes those same friends also bring the Christmas chaos by trying to sort mail at speeds no one should even consider, but that’s the charm of having friends. Similarly, you should keep a look out for the people who can support you during these difficult times.
Take control of the narrative.
When news outlets are telling us what to think and our social media feeds are filled with the opinions of others, it’s important to remember that we also have voices. We also have a moral compass that tells us what should come next if we want the best ending for those we love. So we should shout those words from windowsills and in market squares. We should share that vision for everyone and let them pass it on to build a collective experience until we’ve changed the world for the better. Charles Dickens would be proud.
Take strength in what you do have.
We may not have millions of dollars. We may not have a position of power. We may not have a way to control the weather. All that can feel disheartening when those seem like the only ways to effect change. But if you look around, you’ll find that hangers in a closet, shredded wheat and cranberry sauce and even a Fraggle pebble can be just as meaningful. So take stock of where you’re starting from and your resources. You’ll find tools that will help you get through the difficult days and push for progress.
Don’t forget the humor.
Puns, absurdity, and even an old-fashioned pie to the face can be just what you need when things look the gloomiest. Humor can keep us going even when our winter wonderland is suppressed by the weight of rain clouds. And I don’t even need to provide a Muppet example here, just insert your own.
And last, but most importantly, don’t let the bad guys win.
While most of the problems we face today can’t be solved in the span of a 45-minute special, or even a two-hour movie, these problems can be overcome. It takes persistence and a willingness to travel to the North Pole and back for something we believe in. That North Pole might be the next election, it might be a local charity drive, or it might be diligent effort every day at our jobs or volunteer positions. But that refusal to give up is what gets us to that happy ending.
So go out there and be a Discomfort Muppet. Contribute what you can, when you can, in the best way you can. Whether it’s providing food, raising money or even raising awareness, there is something that you can do. And it shows that you care a whole, whole lot. Just like the Muppets.
And before you call me out, I will. Rest is important too. I will never snatch that mug of hot chocolate out of your hands. We can’t pour from an empty cup after all. But I don’t want you to skip over what makes these moments special. Don’t ignore the discomfort on your way to the feel-good ending. Put down the hot chocolate and stand up for the people you care about most. (Muppet explosions optional.)
Click here to tell me your favorite Muppet humor on the ToughPigs forum!
Katilyn Miller – KTLyn@ToughPigs.com
