It’s interesting to find similar customs, similar traditions and similar values in spite of being referred to by different names celebrated on different days or expressed in different languages. The most interesting were the underlying factors of respect for elders, sense of community and love. These observations hold true despite socio-economic, ethnic and lingual distinctions.
I thought of these things while beset with problems coming through preidentified portals of entry (people). I was a little prepared to receive these people because past experience has shown anytime they approach, it’s going to be messy!
Well, despite of lessons learned, I am still in class. When these things came to me, all I could see is stuff! These folks were getting on my nerves! I really didn’t want to cuss anybody out! It’s funny now, to look back and see clearly that this was not happening TO me – it was happening FOR me! But, alas, with my hue-man SELF, with my determined temper, with my physical eyes, I could not see. Even trying with all MY might, I was still experiencing difficulty in EXECUTING the proper response. No, no, no, I didn’t cuss anybody out but I was working my way up to it!
Then, the realization occurred – love your neighbor as yourself.
We have heard that before, but can we look at our own selves when we are calling for help to keep us from kicking somebody’s…or calling somebody by names their mother didn’t give them? Can we slow down enough to love our neighbor as our self?
During this period of wrestling, I remembered a comment to me to which I took offense. I was led to shrug it off and call the person to say thank you for their comments. In doing so, it was revealed that in actuality, they WERE trying to be helpful and not be a smart behind like I thought, felt and received. OOPS!
Later, an email I sent to someone was found with errors that could have possibly been received as ME being a smart behind when in actuality, the mistakes were just typos. ….hmmmm.
It appears principles we understand in our mind take time and practice to translate to our hearts. The words make sense, but seem difficult sometimes to practice in our everyday lives.
The approaches came to me in packages that I did not like because of their outside appearance. I almost did NOT receive these well-disguised gifts because I thought they held no value for me.
The value called to not look for fault, to let go of the need to control and dominate.
It is time to forgive. Time to let it go. Time to allow healing to flow. Time to become better equipped to love our neighbors as ourselves.
Queen Believer can be reached by email at UbuntuActs@gmail.com
