From the protests that erupted around me, you might have thought I’d expressed contempt for humankind and confessed to torturing kittens. Which, of course, is nonsense. I rather like and even identify with humans. I like kittens, too. Even though they grow up to be cats.
No, what I’d said was, “The Christmas season isn’t my favorite time of year.”
To be fair, I understood the surprise of those who’d overheard me. If your spirits soar during the holiday season, it can be difficult to fathom how the same season might cause someone else’s to plummet.
Yet I am far from alone.