This is going to be a bit long winded, of that have no doubt. I encourage you to read it anyway as I hope it will help everyone’s holiday be a little brighter. I’ll start with a story of two brothers. Brothers of the Masonic fraternity, one an Iranian Muslim, the other an American Jew. Both men very confident in their faith and love of G-d, who were enjoying a conversation as brothers do one random December afternoon. As they ended the conversation, one brother said to the other, “Merry Christmas!” to which his brother replied “Merry Christmas to you too!” at which point they ended the call. The Jewish brother immediately called his brother back to find him laughing on the other end of the phone. They had both realized how strange it might seem to someone to hear one wish to the other a merry Christmas only to have the other return the salutation. Winter holidays are about more than personal belief and faith. Winter celebrations predate most of the major religions and harken back to something far more significant in our human existence. They were often a recognition of the winter solstice, a realization that the members of our little tribe/family had made it this far through hardest season of human existence and we were headed back to times of plenty. Imagine that feeling, surrounded by often freezing temperatures, the only food available, scarce and under fed game, and the food you had managed to put away if you had learned how to do so yet. You’ve gotten most of the way there, you and EVERYONE that you care about. You’re going to make it another year, what an incredible thing to rejoice in and celebrate. For many of us these holidays are a small to huge part of our faith, and our personal beliefs. You should enjoy that and celebrate it, embrace it, and enjoy it. But why not try to be mindful of others, and what we as a species have accomplished and where we are. All of the hardships we have shared and continue to share on this lonely rock in the Milky Way. Why don’t we try to remember what our ancestors shared in those freezing cold deserts, icy forests, frozen caves? Why not take the warm holiday greeting this fellow human is extending to you, and let it mean to you, the things important to you this holiday? Why not try to understand that we’re all a family, a giant human family? Perhaps the best thing to do this holiday is let go of the negative, and celebrate the positive. Enjoy the warmth of another, and don’t let the words get in the way of the love and the message. Just my .02
Posted on: Fri, 21 Nov 2014 23:39:30 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015