tonight is the first night of hanukkah. it may also be the first year a lovely, little girl knows that her family has a religion and that there are special names to such momentous and confusing adult identities...
we had been telling little ms. leah for a few days already this week that tonight would be the first night of channukah.
two nights ago she suddenly looked up and asked josh, "are grammy & poppa jewish?". when he replied positively, she seemed reassured -- esp. as ez has been teasing her mercilessly that she can't celebrate christmas this year... of course, in ez's own tender, playful, irritating, ironic, iconic older brother way...
so, tonight, when we got home after dark, leah immediately grabbed me downstairs, not even letting me put my bags down, & pulled me by my sweater up the wooden staircase to our warm family room (where i type now...).
then, before opening the door, she said, 'close your eyes!' so she could surprise me with what she'd made for 'jewish' tonight.
resting on the floor, reflected in the bright, luminous eyes of a five year old girl, was a petite xmas tree decorated w/ all of her most favorite things!!
"is this for jewish?", she asked looking up innocently to her father.
i smiled and said, "of course, dear, it looks beautiful for 'jewish' tonight"...
in leah's spirit, therefore, may your 'jewish', 'buddhist', 'christian, 'bambuddhist' or whichever form of sacred vows you breath, bring you peace and light as the world outside steadily spins toward december's darkest day of the year.
let us all remember that we light these candles tonight & for the next seven days to remind ourselves of the spirit that is within each of us and the guiding light we offer to each other.
shanti shalom all beloved bodhisattvas near to our hearts!!! thank-you for being here with us in this mad, mad world of veils, tears & touching, forever touching...
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