We humans are a study in contradictions.

It sometimes makes me wonder if we even know what we really want or even pay any attention to what we and others are talking about.

The most obvious example of this right now has to do with the passage of time. We often complain that it flies by, particularly when it comes to watching children grow. We say we want time to slow down or stand still, but we rush about almost constantly without allowing ourselves to take the time to really enjoy or appreciate what we have.

Holiday decorations are the thing that got me to thinking about that. By now I have become used to retailers stocking their shelves with all things Christmas long before Halloween. Of course they want to extend that sales period for as long as possible.

But when did people start decorating their homes and businesses for Christmas weeks before Thanksgiving?

What’s the big rush?

Why can’t we take time to savor the sights, sounds, scents and flavors of fall?

I have recently found myself surrounded by greenery, ribbons and tinsel. I don’t mean to sound like a “grinch,” but I am going to be sick and tired of all the holiday cheer long before Dec. 25 ever arrives.

I would prefer to enjoy all four seasons of the year. I’m not in the mood yet for peppermint mochas or candy canes. Instead, I’d rather have a pumpkin roll or some drinks seasoned with cinnamon.

I do understand that people are excited about the prospect of spending Christmas with friends and family that they could not see last year because the COVID-19 pandemic was raging. Although a fair share of people put their heads in the sand and hosted or attended Thanksgiving or Christmas gatherings despite the advice of medical professionals, there were also plenty of us who did what we believed was the right thing.

Since there was no way to know if we might be asymptomatic carriers of the virus, my husband, Mike, and I spent Thanksgiving and Christmas mainly with each other in 2020. Instead of going to his parents’ house or to the home of one of our siblings, we cooked out own Thanksgiving feast and shared mealtime with family via Zoom. We did the same thing on Christmas morning, connecting for a video conference with my nephews and nieces to watch the little ones open gifts that my brother had dropped off a few days earlier.

It wasn’t what we wanted to do, but it was the best way we knew to protect those we love from illness.

So, I get it. People have Christmas fever this year. I just wish they would slow it down a little bit. Don’t rush ahead to the things you are eager for so quickly that you miss the good stuff along the way.

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Here’s another example of how people contradict themselves: Politics.

Now, I am not going to get into the particulars of any specific philosophy here, nor am I going to share my thoughts on the various schools of thought that seem to be prevalent right now.

What I will comment on is the contradiction that became apparent with the Nov. 2 general election.

Almost everywhere I turn, I hear people grumbling. People in all walks of life seem to express dissatisfaction with one party or the other, or with specific individuals who hold or have recently held office.

This seems to be true at all levels of government — not just at the federal level.

Nov. 2 gave us our chance to do something about that. Every adult citizen of the United States (non-felons only in some states) had the ability to register and vote. That is the system we have in place so that the people — not just the elected or the elite — can make a difference.

So what happened on Nov. 2? Not very many people turned out to vote.

One of our reporters, J.D. Long, recently followed up on the election. He found that only 23.5 percent of registered voters in Harrison County cast ballots this time around. That is compared to 70 percent during the 2020 presidential election.

Belmont County saw slightly more participation, with 27.6 percent turning out this fall, as opposed to 72 percent a years ago.

In my opinion, that is a sad state of affairs. It seems like everybody wants to complain, but nobody wants to do anything about the things they don’t like — not even when it is as easy as going to the polls and casting your vote.

Perhaps we should look to the example set by the late Herman Zerger of Woodsfield, who I wrote about here three weeks ago when he died at age 97. “Zerg,” as he was commonly known, cast his first vote at age for Franklin Delano Roosevelt — from a foxhole in the middle of Europe in the midst of action on the front lines of World War II.

Zerger was always proud of that fact, and he remained politically active throughout his life. He didn’t just vote faithfully, but he also helmed the Monroe County Democratic Party and worked to promote many candidates and causes that he believed in.

Former Ohio governor and U.S. representative Ted Strickland knew Zerger well. He recently told me that in his nearly 100 years of life, he doesn’t believe that Zerger ever missed the opportunity to vote. The lone exception may have been this Nov. 2, as Zerger’s health declined.

I, for one, will strive to be like Zerg. I hope to vote in every election that I have the chance to participate in. I started voting a month after I turned 18, and I will continue to do so every chance I get.