Guest Author #13
AFTER THE SMILING
Did it ever matter if you got sleep the night before Christmas? Not for us as youthful innocents, we barely hit the pillows before the sunrise woke us to rush downstairs and rip open every single carefully wrapped package we could find. It just didn't last long enough, and memories fade with time ...
Now at 61, after smiling all through December, I can feel the new wrinkles sinking into my face, and I don't care one bit. There's nothing I really get excited about during Christmas, there are too many other things, more substantial and less "religious" I've come to love: The Solstice, Yule Tide, Deis Natalis Invictus Solis (Victory of the Unconquered Sun) Mistlemas, Saturnalia, so many true pagan feasts our ancestors would celebrate in serious fashion. Nothing cheerful about it, they were heading into the season of cold, starvation, sadness and superstition. It's a field of study I always enriched myself in, and still able to respect the rituals of Christmas.
Nothing can change what's happened in this season of family gatherings and too much to eat. Words long left unsaid suddenly pour out in guilty fashion, and old wounds are opened. Sooner or later someone demands we attend a Catholic Mass, as we were all raised in the Roman way. Yet it's so unfulfilling to worship this way. I believe the man Jesus was real, he was born and died, and affected many. It was years before a cult of Christians was formed and spread across the globe. Yet long before, we had Saturnalia, the Roman feast of sharing and good will. We had the Yule Tide, the giving of gifts - mostly food. There was the ritual of worshipping the sun, the great orb that gave light and warmth when it was so needed.
After the smiling, I reflect on what we're on this planet for. All I can deduce is that we're here for each other, we're alive to help one another navigate this ocean of storms which can be so wonderful, magical, wondrous and the only life we have. After this, who knows? Will there be a place to celebrate, gather, share, love?
I smile at the thought.
Cathy Rapicano
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This invitation is still open for anyone and everyone to post an entry of their own on my journal, Vagabond Journeys http://vagabondjourneys.blogspot.com/.
A new year is upon us and since it is a time for celebrations, remembrances, resolutions and plans for the future I think people have things to say.
Not to take away from the postings on your own journals, but to add to the joy of my own is why I invite you to write for me.
I want to read what your thoughts are about this magical time of the year. This invitation is open to everyone: Christians, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, Pagans, Agnostics, Atheists and the Uncertain or the Confused. Tell me your thoughts on any subject you wish.
There are no limits in regard to length. The only limitation is that, for reasons so far unexplained to me, my blog does not take photographs, animations, videos or pictures of any kind. I deal in words.
Please accept my invitation. Send your entry to my email address dbdacoba@aol.com I will copy and paste it into my journal and it will be displayed promptly. You may sign your name or not as you wish, and you may leave a link to your blog or your email or not, as you wish. I will do NO editing or censoring. Eloquence is not necessary, mind or heart or both is all.
I have 13 Guest Authors so far. Check them out.
All are welcome. Admission is free.
DB - The Vagabond
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4 comments:
This is great and echoes a lot of my own sentiments. The stuff about family get togethers --- so true isn't it. Even the season of peace and goodwill cannot heal some of those wounds. I much prefer your way because those celebrations make more sense to me as they are rooted in nature and the seasons.
Thanks pacifica, it's true that those old pagan practices had more substance, more value and meaning than our materialistic rushing around and spending money we don't have. Still, no one really wants to admit they'd rather perform those rituals of worshiping the sun in winter, the warmth so needed for life. Wish we could be more honest as humans don't you? As for family, they know exactly where it hurts the most, that's usually where they aim. Nevertheless, family is key: my sister said "I'm smiling because you're my sister - and I'm laughing because there's nothing you can do about it!" Gotta love em.
A wonderful read #13. Guess I was indeed blessed with our family getting together and sharing the holidays, even to this day, when we are all together, we speak of the joy and love of having each other to share our lives with each other. Even when we talk on the phone it always end with each of us telling each other how much we love them.
Thanks, Cathy. What plays a more important role in our life but the sun and I guess even the moon. They control every aspect of our lives. Humans being more honest. For years I have been batting my head against a brick wall trying to get two of my three sisters to be honest with me. Don't think it is going to happen so I hold out no faith that is will happen to humankind. Who knows you better than your family and those are the very people who can hurt you the most. My definiton of family now would be those people I enjoy being around and who enjoy being around me. No need for blood ties, I am closer to more of my friends than I am my so called family. Besides which, the family is scattered all over and we don't often see each other anyways. I am utterly taken in with your quote from your sister. Reading that was a lightbulb moment in my life and I will be remembering it forever. Yeah, I have three sisters........gotta love em...or maybe not.
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