Once again we approach the first of the longest holiday season that stretches throughout the remainder of the year, Thanksgiving. What an appropriate way to usher in the season-–through contemplation and subsequent appreciation of our innumerable blessings that we tend to take for granted – until some rude awakening.
Regardless of one’s religious affiliation (or lack of), the effects of such spiritual indoctrination of love and humility generated through family gatherings around a common dinner table, creates its own reward, regardless of its duration. We would strongly encourage all families, regardless of size, to designate more frequent “Blue Blood” dinner table family gatherings that include all ages. The benefit is unimaginable to all involved as we tend to unconsciously drift farther apart as lifestyles, school, work and other schedules continue to separate us.
Thanksgiving also offers the perfect opportunity for all to unashamedly bow in mutual love and prayer in appreciation of all blessings, great and small (and especially the people) we tend to take for granted- day by day–until lost.
In former times children were often brought up in homes that included several generations in which there was at least one woman who stayed home. These matriarchs also included discipline, respect, moral and religious values to the early childhood up-bringing. Today’s far more technologically modern society offers professional daycare facilities for children from infancy. Yet we continue to hear of situations in which parents choose to leave infants in the care of untrained and unsupervised relatives, friends or others. This runs the added risk of exposure too early in life to TV, video, social or other media and even real life experiences that infants and small children are unprepared to handle that will affect them for the rest of their lives. The more positive alternative is early enrollment into professional childcare facilities that instill multiple admirable legal services and healthcare including morals.
“We must associate with all humanity in gentleness and kindness,” we read in the Baha’i Holy Writings. What a “Mission impossible” for those who have never experienced either-–to say nothing of those constantly exposed to the ravages of war! Gentleness and humility imply courtesy, forbearance, patience and consideration, all deterrents to explosive situations and warring mentalities within immediate families and throughout the family of man.
Then there is love, the most misused and misunderstood word in the world, too often confused with lust-–perhaps in its lowest form. But there are many forms of love, the Holy Writings remind us-–love of self, other individuals, material possessions; of religious, political or national alliances, all temporary. Only the pure Love of God (However perceived) when allowed to radiate through us to others is from eternity to eternity, could we but perceive it! Let the light of the Kingdom radiate through you until all who look upon you shall be illumined by its reflection,” the Writings further state.
During this warm and unifying holiday in particular, shorn of all exclusiveness, may we each re-evaluate and rededicate our lives to those organizations and institutions that collectively exemplify by deeds and words, that which promotes the betterment of the entire human race (no walls)!
In today’s super advanced society, the Fatherhood of One God and the brotherhood of One mankind should be becoming more uncommonly clear. Therefore, may we each strive diligently to perpetuate this Season of gentleness and Love!
~ HAPPY THANKSGIVING ~
