Category:

Where Are You Going?

1/7/2015

Where Are You Going?

Dear old and new friends,

On January 7th I entered an airline terminal which was crowded with passengers departing on their flights and arriving from others. I curiously noticed a large crowd of travelers not in line at the ticket counters—or seemingly any line at all—but rather just milling around in a circle in the center of the terminal. Like other travelers they had large wheeled suitcases that they aimlessly pulled behind them or were seated on.

Around this stationary group swirled the crowds of incoming passengers from various flights busily on their way either to other flights or heading for the exits. As hours passed I continued being fascinated by those in the center of the terminal who didn’t seem to be going anywhere. I wondered if they were waiting for someone…or something. Naturally a curious person, after observing them more I couldn’t resist going over to these intriguing travelers and asking, “Where are you going?”

The first ones, either embarrassed or thinking my question was inappropriate coming from a total stranger, said nothing and continued staring around aimlessly or at their iPads and phones. On my fourth attempt I asked that question to a man sitting on his baggage. He smiled and looked up at me saying, “I haven’t decided yet. Why do you ask?” Others in the group around him nodded their heads in agreement. I could have replied (but didn’t), “You and the rest of your group all have luggage and appear to be heading somewhere, but nobody seems to be going.” Leaving the airport I wondered if I returned on this same day, January 7th, in 2016 would I find them all still here, except for one or two who had died?

As we enter the new days of this year CE 2015 are we going anywhere...
or as usual just skimming over the surface of life?

Christmas Eyes

12/31/2014

Christmas Eyes

Dear old and new friends,

Skyrockets, church bells ringing and the fireworks of New Year’s Eve overshadow the few remaining reminders that still exist of Christmas. Dark now are homes and store buildings once brightly outlined in lights, as bedraggled Christmas trees devoid of tinsel and decorations sit on the curb awaiting trash pickup. Emotionally, Christmas feels a long way back…yet it was only a week ago! Miraculously it can be easily recalled, and now devoid of all the Yuletide garish garlands the authentic Christmas can actually be more dynamically soul energizing.

A meaningful memory of Christmas can be yours in the following days of this coming New Year each time you write the four numbers of Anno Domino 2015! Dionysius Exiguus, a monk in 525, invented this dating system based on the birth of Christ—the first Christmas! A.D. (for Anno Domino) before the year became widely used in Europe around 800 and continued being used in the Gregorian calendar, and now is used by the United Nations and the Universal Postal Union. The years before the birth of Christ are signified by use of B.C. (Before Christ) which officially follows the date. According to a consensus of scholars Dionysius Exiguus was mistaken in his calculations and the actual historical date of the birth of Jesus was 6-4 B.C. Since our modern world includes billions who are not Christians, or even religious, today the initials C.E. (for Common Era) are used instead of A.D., and B.C.E. for B.C.

As was said at the beginning of this refection, without the shopping and hectic activities of December 25th that awesome Mystery we commemorate on Christmas can be more dynamically enriching. Christmas commemorates God becoming one in flesh in Jesus of Nazareth…and also with all humanity, all creation and all the measureless vastness of the Cosmos. Look up at the night stars—and beyond to the countless galaxies—with Christmas eyes and see the Presence of your Mysterious God. Look with Christmas eyes not just on evergreens but all trees and shrubs and see the Divine Creator within. Look with Christmas eyes upon friend and stranger, upon alien and family member, and see your Beloved Lord.

Each time in the coming days you write the New Year date 2015, don’t dash it off quickly, but deliberately write out those four numbers. Pause to look with Christmas eyes at them for a mini-moment to allow the meaning of God’s Investing of Self in all matter to fill your heart so you can taste the joy of a real Christmas.

Happy New Year C.E. Anno Domino 2015

Disappointed or Designer Immigrants

1/1/2014

Disappointed or Designer Immigrants

Dear old and new friends,

    My first letter-reflection to you for 2014 is on January 1st. On this day in 1892, Ellis Island opened as an immigrant reception station for the United States. Let this 122nd anniversary remind us that we are all descendants of immigrants. We imitated them on December 31st as we set with sparkling fireworks from the old world of 2013 for the bright new world of 2014, so filled with promise and dreams.

    But the next morning when opening our eyes on January 1st we discovered to our disappointment the new world looked exactly like the old one! Our bedroom was the same and our world was just as full of brutal wars, fighting, homeless people, famine, hatred, and racial, religious and sexual discrimination as the old one!

    Wait a moment, you say! It’s romantically naive to think beginning a New Year is entering a new world! Let’s be realistic—other than the new date of 2014 on calendars there’s nothing new about us or anything else.

    You’re correct, but shouldn’t a truly new year be fresh and we be new and different? The Greek philosopher Heraclitus (500 B.C. or B.C.E) taught that everything was ever-new and changing. Plato twice quoted this theory in his writings. Heraclitus maintained that the world—creation—was constantly changing and summed up this reality in his phrase, “You can’t step into the same river twice!” Twenty-five thousand years later, science confirms that Heraclitus was right. For beneath the unchanging exterior world there is a sub-atomic world where atoms are always in constant flux (we know this intellectually but do not experience it). This newness includes you and me, all of us, and astonishingly—God.

    The Jewish prophet Isaiah, who lived about the same time as Heraclitus, along with the author of the Book of Revelation, quote God as saying, “See, I make all things new!” All things! That would include us—if we choose to be new! To choose, however, requires repeatedly redesigning yourself anew in imitation of the on-going originality of God. It means seeing your surroundings with new eyes, freshening up your vocabulary with new idioms, and that truly thorny task of redesigning your prayers so they are more personally original! But why change them when I know them by heart? Because the Mysterious Holy One to whom you pray is hourly, minute by minute, ever new and changing.

    To paraphrase Heraclitus, “You can’t step into the same year twice!” So begin this New Year joyously as an immigrant striving to find beneath your and the earth’s skin the wonder of Eden’s fresh newness. Indispensable for living in a new world is loving those you’ve loved for years differently, including God, now with the passion of a young lover newly fallen in love.

What's New?

1/23/2013

What's New?

We are now twenty-three days into this brand new year, so look around at your home and your life to see what’s new or different other than the date on your calendar. For most of us, typically nothing is changed in our behavior or the arrangement of our homes, the way we pray or relate to others. While we have made welcoming the arrival of a fresh year on New Year’s Eve into a lavish fiesta of fireworks, clouds of confetti, balloons and popping champagne corks, when the sun rises on January 1st is anything really different in our lives?

Perhaps instead of creating newness for yourself, you are waiting for the calendar gods to surprise you with something novel in this year numbered 2013. If this is true for you, Matt Zoller Seitz may have a valuable insight into reasons why: “Americans live inside their own private echo chambers, endlessly revisiting things they already know they like and avoiding exposure to anything new and different.” If Seitz is correct—and you really do desire this baby year 2013 to be different—how do you escape from your private personal echo chamber?

Here are few ideas on how to break out and create something novel:

    ~ Don’t wait for the gods to surprise you with a bolt from out of the blue.

    ~ Experiment with new cooking receipts—at the risk of creating a real flop.

    ~ Read new books and authors—even if you find them not to your taste.

    ~ Drive down different streets than usual—you may get lost, but not for long.

    ~ Pray or worship in another religion than you own—you won’t lose your soul.

    ~ Rearrange your living or work space—in time your habits will adjust.

    ~ Talk to a stranger about his/her dreams and fears—inhabit another’s world.

    ~ Create a new profanity or curse word—the old ones are frayed and worn out.

    ~ Love or befriend someone new—even if they don’t sweep you off your feet.

If these do not stimulate you to experiment with anything new, don’t fret, for you have another chance on Sunday, February 10th, the Chinese New Year. This is the Chinese year of the Black Snake, a zodiac sign that implies flexibility and changeability. Snakes annually shed their old skins and grow new ones. Be inspired then in this auspicious Year of the Black Snake to shed your old habits and tired ways—and become refreshingly new.

Where Are You Going?

Where Are You Going?

Christmas Eyes

Christmas Eyes

Disappointed or Designer Immigrants

Disappointed or Designer Immigrants

What's New?

What's New?

Edward Hays

The Haystack

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