Every new year, new day, new breath is a new beginning. May we enjoy the present moment more often this year.
Below is a repost of today’s daily meditation from the Henri Nouwen Society. https://henrinouwen.org/meditation/
May we be inspired and re-energized for the moments to come.
“What makes us human is not our mind but our heart, not our ability to think but our ability to love.” Henri Nouwen (https://henrinouwen.org/)
With all the different holidays being celebrated this time of year, I wanted to find something to share that might appeal to the beautiful and diverse group of people who read this blog. Below is something I read earlier this week written by Rabbi Rami Shapiro that appealed to me. I sincerely hope it offers something to you as well.
Spirituality & Christmas from the most recent issue of Spirituality & Health (https://www.spiritualityhealth.com/blogs/roadside-musings/2020/12/21/spirituality-and-christmas)
“I love Christmas. My neighbors love Christ. This is not the same thing.
To me Christmas heralds the Very Good News that if a first century rabbi could realize the Truth at the mystic heart of his and every religion—“I and the Divine are one” (John 10:30)—then so can we. This is the same Very Good News taught by sages before and after Jesus:
To me Christmas is hopeful: a time to celebrate the potential for God-Realization in all of us. To my neighbors Christmas seems fearful: a time to circle the wagons and bemoan how besieged Christians are—not in countries where they are actually persecuted such as the People’s Republic of China, North Korea, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia but in the most Christian friendly country on earth: the United States of America.
As I walk through my neighborhood and exchange friendly shouts of “Merry Christmas” with my neighbors, I take pleasure in seeing houses draped with Christmas lights and lawns taken over by manger scenes. So, you might forgive my confusion when my neighbors tell me that their right to openly affirm their religion is being denied them, and that they are shunned for saying “Merry Christmas,” and that this War on Christmas gets stronger every year.
To me the War on Christmas is an odd but understandable response to the success of Christianity in the United States. Christians aren’t meant to be successful: Blessed are the poor, the meek, the hungry, the thirsty “who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven” (Matthew 5:10). The problem for my neighbors is that they aren’t poor, meek, hungry, thirsty, or persecuted. Indeed, they are often seen as the persecutors. And because they aren’t persecuted, they fear their place in the Kingdom of Heaven is iffy at best.
The obvious solution—obvious to me at any rate—is for them to take up the causes for which Jesus died: the cessation of othering, injustice, and oppression, and doing right by “the least” among us (Matthew 25). As Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. showed us, it doesn’t take long before this Christian message threatens the Powers That Be in America and one becomes “persecuted for righteousness’ sake.” Sadly, it is easier to imagine a War on Christmas instead.
I refuse to engage with the War on Christmas. I choose instead to celebrate the Very Good News that You are God (Tat Tvam Asi and Alles iz Gott as we say in Sanskrit and Yiddish). And when I wish you “Merry Christmas” know that what I am wishing you is this: May your celebration of the birth of Jesus birth your own awakening to the joyous fact that you and God are one.
Merry Christmas.”
Rabbi Rami Shapiro is an award-winning author, essayist, poet, and teacher. In the print version of our magazine, he has an advice column, “Roadside Assistance for the Spiritual Traveler,” addressing reader questions https://www.spiritualityhealth.com/authors/rabbi-rami-shapiro
May peace be with all of us this holiday season _/\_
With many thanks to Jackson Browne and The Chieftains for this alternative holiday message from “a heathen and a pagan.”
Christmas has been embraced by religious and secular groups in a very big way. Here’s two statistics for consideration:
“Christianity is the largest religion in the world. Approximately 2.38 billion people practice some form of Christianity globally. This means that about one-third of the world’s total population is Christian.” https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/most-christian-countries
“Holiday shopping can account for up to 30% of all retail sales.” https://financesonline.com/christmas-shopping-statistics/
Whatever your reason for celebrating Christmas Eve, I wish you peaceful, safe and warm conditions. May you be well.
Today’s senryu: Christmas Eve
only one more day
until Christmas – wishing you
a happy morrow
What a crazy world we live in! What a crazy Christmas/X-Mas season.
https://edgeofhumanity.com/2022/12/18/ball-of-confusion-the-temptations-1970/
Thank you, Edge of Humanity! Your song recommendation and YouTube link brought back some great memories. I especially enjoyed the current, this century, photos in the music video that corresponded to last century lyrics. I highly second this creative recommendation.
Today’s senryu: Ball of Confusion
mental dissonance
seasonal competition
non-violent night?
Another fun and confusing seasonal YouTube worth checking out is this Violent Night movie trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a53e4HHnx_s
universalpictures.com
Is Jesus the Reason for the Season?
I had a horse in my early teen years. Honey was a retired barrel-bender; an American Quarter Horse. I truly enjoyed brushing, exercising, feeding and cleaning out her stall daily. Many good memories.
Here’s today’s senryu: National Horse Day
Bareback or saddled
we enjoyed the trails and the
“smoke ‘er home” returns
“National Horse Day is celebrated every December 13. It’s a day to remember the economic, historic, and cultural contributions that horses have made. Equine enthusiasts across the country will get together on December 13 to show their appreciation for these majestic creatures. Whether you’re a seasoned rider or have never been on a horse in your life, check out some ways you can recognize the day!” https://nationaltoday.com/national-horse-day/
What is a mutt? A dog of doubtful pedigree.
What is a pedigree? Recorded ancestry, especially upper-class ancestry, a pure-bred.
What is National Mutt Day? “A holiday that celebrates mixed breed dogs. It is also an unofficial holiday that proclaims that these dogs are as special as their pure-bred counterparts and should be afforded the same love, affection, and respect.
This day should also serve as a reminder that there are millions of mixed breed dogs in shelters all over the United States who are just waiting for a family to take them home and love them.” https://www.holidayscalendar.com/event/national-mutt-day/
Why adopt a mutt versus a purebred? They’ve got the best temperaments.
Most purebreds were bred for specific traits, so they’re likely to have a more extreme personality. Mutts, on the other hand, have a blend of traits from different sources, which often leads to a more mellow mood. In fact, purebred dogs are more likely than mutts to have genetic disorders, including cataracts and hypothyroidism.” https://nationaltoday.com/national-mutt-day/
One more thought for consideration. My father would sometimes smile and with a twinkling eye say: “I’m Irish, English, Scottish and Dutch and a little bit German but not very much.”
Today’s senryu/dogryu: Adopt A Mutt
Now think about it –
what’s your ancestral record?
Mutts should adopt mutts 🙂
I am thankful for life and for the wisdom to appreciate life. Here are a couple of thoughts that come to mind for me today:
“If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is Thank You, it will be enough.” Meister Eckhart https://internetpoem.com/meister-eckhart/quotes/
Psalm 92: “It is good to give thanks. Does God need to hear my praise? No, I need to express it. To awaken to wonder, to holiness, to God, I must transcend the ego-centered drama I pretend is life. To shatter pretense, give thanks. Each thank-you reduces the false you. When I give thanks, I embrace others. When I give thanks, I move from drama to play and discover the aliveness that Is when I stop playing God and discover that God is playing me. It is good to give thanks for through thanksgiving awakening lies.” Minyan – Ten Principles for Living a Life of Integrity (c) 1997 Rabbi Rami M. Shapiro http://rabbirami.com/#Perrenial-Wisdom
“Religions are like languages: no language is true or false; all languages are of human origin; each language reflects and shapes the civilization that speaks it; there are things you can say in one language that you cannot say or say as well in another; and the more languages you speak, the more nuanced your understanding of life becomes.” http://rabbirami.com/
My humble senryu: Thanksgiving Day Wisdom
I’m grateful for you,
for us, for all beings and
this day to say THANKS
Three granddaughters with Nonno Photo taken by my daughter Mary
“Big dogs, small dogs, yappy dogs, fluffy dogs, all kinds of dogs deserve our love and affection every day, but most of all on Thankful for My Dog Day.
In Western society, people highly value dogs because of their characteristics of friendship, protectiveness, loyalty, and affection. Dogs are also widely used in animal-assisted therapy. This type of treatment helps to relieve anxiety, pain, and depression in people with a range of mental or physical health problems.
Show off your dog today. Post photos and videos of your pupper on social media and say how proud you are of them. Also, tell your dog you love them when you’re with other people — animals understand when we’re pleased with them.” https://nationaltoday.com/thankful-for-my-dog-day/
Today’s haiku: Thankful for My Dog Day
In ev’ry season
dogs point out nature highlights –
let’s follow their lead
Here’s a few photos from our household:
Please post photos of your dog(s) below.
Established in 2011, National Redhead Day is celebrated to recognize this rarest of hair colors. Not always appreciated, redheads have been sometimes labeled as fiery, hot-tempered, nymphomaniacs and/or witches. Well, today they are labeled beautiful. https://nationaltoday.com/national-redhead-day/
Some Famous Redheads in History include:
(https://discover.hubpages.com/entertainment/Top-20-Famous-Redheads-in-History)
Today’s haiku: Love Your Red Hair Day
don’t hide it, flaunt it
uniqueness is your beauty
better red than dead
Life Matters 