Who Am I?
The end of the year brings longer nights and shorter days
and colder weather. I believe this forces us indoors and gives us extra time to
cozy up to others in our lives and to look into the shadowy places and ground
ourselves. December brings us the winter solstice, the shortest day and longest
night of the year. It is a holy time for many different religions, a time for
spiritual renewal.
As we prepare for the newness of the year and the spiritual
awakening, it is a good time to reevaluate our positions. As we clean out our
closets and fortify our homes we need to also look at our beliefs and weed out
the things that are not moving us forward in our spiritual evolution and make
room for fresh ideas and new journeys.
Who am I? I am a Christian, because I was introduced to the
teachings of Jesus Christ as young child and I believe in his life and his
spirit and in the lessons he preached so passionately. I am Jewish because
Jesus was Jewish and he loves the Jews. I am Jewish, because I was a Jew in a
previous life.
I am Wiccan, because I embrace the healing, non-judgmental,
do-no-harm tenants this earth based religion teaches. I am Wiccan because the
spirit of Wicca is in the very earth and air and fire and water. I have been
Wiccan in former lives.
I am Native American because the blood of my paternal
grandfather connects me to people who used to walk this land with pride and
caring and respect for the natural and the supra-natural. I am Native American
because they would not allow themselves to be annihilated by the interlopers. They,
we perservered.
I am European, because my ancestors immigrated to this land
hundreds of years ago. I am English and Irish and Scottish and Dutch and who
knows what other nationality.
I am an animal lover, because I believe the Creator made us
all, the earth, all the creatures and all the beliefs. I believe that every
tiny organism is important in the design of this reality. We should respect one
another and every animal and every living and non-living thing on this planet,
because this was given to us to be our home. So far we have not been good
stewards and for that I am sorry and ashamed. I could have done more. I should
have done more. There is still much I can do.
Who am I? I am one of you. I am everyone. I am everything. I
am not separate from you nor are you separate from me. When I breathe my breath
becomes yours. The air is not compartmentalized. It does not stop at borders.
It is one entity that encompasses the entire earth. When you breathe, your
breath eventually becomes mine.
Who am I? Who are you? We are both dependent on each other.
We are. We are. We are we.
