Cultural Holiday Differences – Can’t We All Get Along!

This is a post that we did last year for the holiday season on our Too Real Musings blog. We felt it was worth repeating and we hope you enjoy it.

Jill’s View:
Peace cannot be realized if we come at it from a “my way” is right vs. yours is wrong perspective, that only serves to generate more friction. Peace, in any conflict, whether it is in the home, on the streets or international will only come when we meet in the middle. That is the neutral place, the place of acceptance and respect for what is different. That is the place where we learn about each other. Strife comes from ignorance, knowledge is were the power of peace will lay its foundation. We need to educate the children and empower the women so a home, a community and ultimately a nation become the core of a more peaceful world.

Vicki’s View:
So often people of different faiths, races and sexual preferences look at each other’s differences. More importantly we see each other from a perspective of miscomprehension. We don’t understand the other person’s culture and we judge and fear it because of lack of information.
Yet what we really need to do is to come together and look at what we have in common because we need each other.

What we have in common is we love our children and want to see them grow up to be happy and healthy, we all need a planet that’s eco-system is in place for us to live healthy lives; we need family and friends to lean on in difficult times; we need peace of mind in order to move through the daily grind; we need to know that we are understood and loved; and we need to know that we live in a safe world.

I hope you recognize that our commonalities are not the way we worship, the color of our skin or who we choose to love. What we have in common are the desire that we have in our heart and souls for a peaceful and loving world. We only appear different on the outside.
All these needs we have in common can only be accomplished if we work together as the brothers and sisters that we spiritually are. We need each other.

In this season that celebrates miracles and self-reflection I urge you to look at those who appear different on the outside and hold a belief that I am quoting from Neale Donald Walsch from “The Conversation With God” book series, “Ours is not a better way, our is just another way.”
When we stop thinking that we’ve got it right or we are better we will leave room for the knowledge and acceptance of how other cultures live.

Before I close off here I heard something very interesting on the radio. I am unsure of who was speaking yet what was said made quite an impact on me. The man said that saying, “Peace on Earth and good will to men.” Was not the original statement and the meaning of the actual statement is “Peace to men of good will”.

May you be blessed this holiday season with the peace that comes from having good will towards others.

Jill and Vicki: We wish all our readers a very Merry Christmas, a (belated) Happy Chanukah and a Happy Kwanzaa.