“For Those Who Celebrate” is a phrase I don’t care for
For Those Who Celebrate is a line I don’t use.
For those who celebrate
I’m not Jewish, but I celebrate the Holy Days. I’m not Muslim, but I celebrate Ramadan. That’s because I respect the faith of my friends and colleagues, and want to share their lives.
Holy Days are important to many
Whether it’s Beehive Coven’s Beltane celebration, Catholics during Holy Week, or hearing about all the food my Jewish friends cook up for family and friends, the holy days make me happy. I don’t want to sit on the sidelines, with the “for those who celebrate” thinking. The energy from celebrations spreads through a faith community and beyond. I absorb those positive vibes, pulling them into my own existence.
The Holy Days present challenges for many. Christmas conjures up the deaths of friends and relatives. Maw-maw isn’t there with her chocolate pie, her pithy comments, all the things you loved about her. That plays on the spirit. Boosting up friends is what we do for each other, even if we really don’t understand Passover.
Ramadan
Last night was the first night of Ramadan. I understood how Ramadan works before really knowing anyone who was Muslim. A few years ago, however, my experience with the Muslim holy month changed.
I taught a class for Hitachi in London, a few summers ago. We held the class in the City of London, at an office not far from Tower Hill. I enjoyed being in the city, as opposed to out in Slough, the burbs. On the first day, I grabbed a sandwich from a place around the corner. I didn’t think for a moment that the room now smelled like fresh bread. The students came in after the break, and one guy was really out of it.
At the end of the day, another student came up to me and said, just so you know, my colleague is Muslim, and it’s Ramadan.
And it hit me. These were, for computer geeks, youngsters, late twenties, early thirties. They eat. They exercise. When they fast, they get lightheaded. That’s what happened to my student.
So, I joined his Ramadan fasting. I celebrated his faith, to an extent, by waiting until sundown to eat. I didn’t advertise this to the class, other than I didn’t bring food in for the rest of the week. It wasn’t about them thinking I’m some cool American. It was about the vibe.
So, Ramadan Mubarak! For those who celebrate, I’m there with you!
