I just realized that this is probably going to be the last opportunity
I have before Christmas to sit down and write.
And it’s probably the last time you will have before Christmas to even marginally
care about what other people have to say.
So, I’m going to make this real quick.
This is my holiday statement.
This is my social diatribe. This
is what I’ve got on the season. It’s not
really profound or poignant. Just a few
words about love, gratitude and celebrations.
I know a lot of people assume I’m a godless heathen because
I don’t accept the word of Christ as law.
I know that there are some people out there who have a hard time
understanding that, even though, I have read the Bible, I view it more as
literature than a mandate. I even understand
that there are many people who can’t understand that the universe is the entity
who I pray to. I mean no offense when I
talk about my spirituality. And I certainly
don’t mean to force my beliefs on others.
In fact, I’ve come to realize that you can’t argue spiritual beliefs. They are individual. They are private. And, as mortal beings, we define our
spirituality in ways that make us most comfortable. By that, I mean, we believe in what will
benefit us the most, in case of afterlife.
With all of that said, I say to you this: Happy
December. We all believe in something
different. The holidays mean something
different to each of us. But, I don’t
really think that our spiritual differences divide us. I think that we divide us. We all want the same things in December. We all want to sit with the people we
love. We all want to laugh. We all want to give. We all want to love and be loved. That’s what the holidays are about.
Today, while I was in line at Toys ‘R Us, The person in
front of me asked the girl that the registers “how are you today?” And you would have thought that the world
stopped turning in that little girl’s life.
She waited a couple of seconds, and then she said “I’m good. Thank you for asking.” Because nobody had asked her how she was
doing all day. She was surprised with
the question. What does that say about
us and our spirituality? What does that
say for our connectedness? It says
nothing. And, actually, it’s
embarrassing. That’s not what the spirit
of the season is about.
So, I offer you this thought: today is the shortest day of the year. It’s the longest night of the year. It’s a day that pagans have celebrated and
reflected on for as long as written history has been documented. Today is only four days away from Christmas. A day Christians celebrate as the birth of
Christ. This is a time we (all of us) acknowledge life and charity and
sacrifice. Whatever your spiritual beliefs
are, please remember to be good to each other.
Tomorrow, I will make the six hour round trip to pick up my
mommy to bring her here for Christmas.
This year, my hippie sister has volunteered to make the tedious drive
with me. On Monday night, I will smoke a
pork shoulder for my son and my mother.
On Tuesday, my mom will make snowman cookies with Radley to leave for
Santa. While they decorate cookies, I will
drive to the market to pick up carrots for the reindeer. On Christmas morning, I will watch my little
boy open his gifts. After that, I will make him berry pancakes. We will put together trains and eat and laugh. Those are our traditions. That is how we spend our holiday. But those things are all about the holiday,
they have nothing to do with spirituality.
Please don’t forget the difference between holiday celebrations and the
spirit of the season. Remember to be
good to each other. Remember to embrace
what you have, while sharing what you have with others. Remember to thank your God (or Goddess) for all
that you have been given.
Happy Solstice and Blessed Yule.
-Inner Peas
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