December 2003 – WOMEN’S BOXING ARCHIVE NETWORK: The word holiday really means holy day. With the holy days upon us, this is a time when we should reflect deeply on our lives and our relationships. It is a time for us to reflect on our individual choices and how we each play a unique part in bringing peace into the world. This is a time for us to surround each other with love, tolerance, and acceptance and reach out to everyone with a smile, and an open heart.
Reflecting on our lives, we ask ourselves many questions. Am I as loving as I could be? Am I as patient as I could be? Where am I harboring hatred, and toward whom? Where am I being judgmental, and toward whom? Am I showing up fully in my life?
Whether you celebrate Christmas or not, you can appreciate the symbolism of the birth of Christ. The symbolism is of giving birth to the gifts, blessings, and talents that Spirit (God, Allah, Yahweh, Krishna, Om) has given each of us.
Ask yourself if you are willing to give birth to Love in all areas your life. Are you willing to let Love guide all of your decisions? Candles give light, trees give fruit, and the sungives warmth and light. All of nature gives unselfishly. Why should the human experience be any different, or any less? We, as human beings, are born to give love.
The place that we are meant to give love is in our relationships with others. There are times when we are tempted to express anger at our neighbor. There are times when we are tempted to gossip about a friend. There are times when we are tempted to judge another. “Lead me not into temptation, but deliver me from evil” is a direct request to Spirit to lead me away from being tempted to be angry, jealous, judgmental, harsh, etc. Deliver me from the evil of these negative thoughts….deliver me from being tempted to forget that we are all One…..that we are One family……deliver me from the evil of separating myself from others. Whether you are a Muslim, a Christian, a Jew, a Hindu, or whatever religious affiliation you claim or don’t claim, we all share creation in common. A friend of mine, Mark P., said beautifully “Spirit instilled the ability to love other people in all of us. God is present anytime we reach out to others to help them and when we see the beauty of his genius and creation in how we love and care for each other.” Amen!!
It is no accident that the New Year comes soon after the holy days. The new year is a time we resolve to be better people…….to be more loving…….to be more patient…….to be less critical etc. It is a time when we strive to be the person that Spirit created us to be.
This holiday, let’s all glorify in the uniqueness of our being. Let’s also appreciate the diversity that is all around us. The holiday is a time of meditating on peace and harmony, and looking within yourself and honestly assessing how YOU are responsible for peace and harmony in YOUR own life. We are a microcosm of the macrocosm. Having peace on earth begins with having peace in each of our own individual lives.
If you celebrate Hanukkah, I wish you Happy Hanukkah.
If you celebrate Christmas, I wish you a Merry Christmas.
If you celebrated Ramadan, eid said.
Whether you do or do not celebrate any of these, I pray that any of the barriers that keep you from giving love be removed. Let Love Shine!!!
May all of our days be holy days. May all of our thoughts about ourselves and others be holy thoughts. May we all actively prepare a place in the altar of our heart for the presence of Love. May we all learn to truly care for each other.
Happy holy days to all and to all a blessed life, sumya ‘the island girl’ anani