You know December is a month of many holidays, Christian and Jewish holidays are the most familiar, but at least 36 are known of according to Wikipedia! Considering all the religious strife and misunderstandings we are experiencing across the globe, in our cities, and in our neighborhoods, what if we do something different from what we usually do at this time?
What if we go beyond our particular belief or non-belief perspective to share a holiday with a person who believes something totally different from us?
What if we go to an interfaith or non-belief event just to see what it is like?
What if we attend that interfaith or non-belief event, where many beliefs and sometimes non-belief perspectives are present, and are open to listen and learn with no agenda?
What if we went to someone else’s holiday celebration with no intention of trying to convert them, worry we might be going to a bad place or brush them off because we think they are completely crazy/weird?
What if we invited people, whose beliefs and faith/non-faith practices are different from us, to our holiday celebrations with no intention of conversion, proselytizing, or persuasion?
What if we just have a coffee/tea/favorite beverage with someone from another faith/non-faith tradition just to be friendly and talk about how we celebrate or don’t celebrate?
What if we were open to the possibilities? Possibilities include opening our minds to different ways of thinking and practices that help us to be more open and tolerant of other beliefs. Our fear decreases. Peaceful interludes can occur. The more fellowship we have invites more opportunities to dialogue and consult together. Just imagine how different tomorrow will be. Make it a fabulous and peaceful December!