Recently I was with a group of people and one woman asked us all to pray for the survivors of Pearl Harbor. She was of the generation - some call it "the Silent generation" and others "the Greatest generation" - in which her peers were involved in World War II. World War II is not so long ago in history, but what is sure is that it remains a Hollywood film favorite subject, while other wars such as Korean - Viet Nam - and the whole big mess of the Middle East have comparatively few films made about them. Unpopular wars, underreported wars, and wars that are no longer called wars, are going on all the time.
I spoke up and said, "Let's pray for peace instead."
Don't know that my blurt was appreciated, but to me all that was required was a moment of silence or a mental bookmark. You see, I don't actually think there ever will be Peace of Earth, but in the West, at Christmas time, the notion of Peace of Earth is popular. Consider that sometimes in war there are agreements that for that one day of the year, Christmas, there is a "peace fire."
And, I really do think that peace on earth has to begin with each individual, and in Christianity the prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi is my favorite. Yet, for all the empathy called for, in order to understand and forgive others, sometimes I've been considered naïve, a fool, and exploitable for all the give I have. I've been at times sneered at for my hope, faith, belief, or innocence. I have not been testy, suspicious. I haven't asked enough questions. (These days an exploiter will blame the victim, saying, "you didn't do your due diligence.")
So, while I don't think there will ever be peace of earth, and am making no claim to perfection and a straight ticket to heaven, the notion of heaven is very influential. Heaven allows us to imagine a place that is peaceful and joyful, and where everyone else is good!
This is my open mind set for the holiday season.
A week ago I told myself I should start decorating. I managed to get a string of lights up around the door. I pulled out my small artificial Christmas tree, only to discover that a piece of plastic had broken off while it was in storage. Three days later I got out my glue gun and tried to fix the leg on without that piece. It sort of worked.
I went off to Trader Joes, were I planned to buy all the ingredients needed to manifest five different cupcake recipes which I wanted to make to gift. It's been years since I made or gifted baked goods and I remembered the days when Christmas visiting meant indulging in baked goods from many different ethnic backgrounds. Family and friends had married into Italians, Russians, Ukrainians, Poles, Slovaks, Ruthenians, Irish, Germans - we have a Persian - that whole mix that is United States of America - everyone making traditional cookies, cakes, pies, that their ancestors made.
As I made way to the location, I passed by an Armenian banquet hall. Someone must have had a wedding, ordered in numerous floral ornaments for the tables, and when unboxing found one was broken. Outside on the sidewalk was a beautiful gold sprayed branch that had blooming rose petals glue gunned to it! One rose had fallen off and there was a glob of glue. I took one look at it and grabbed it. At home I decided not to use the artificial pine tree at all, but hang my small ornament collection off the branches of this bare limbed "tree." I set it up and it's beautiful. My dog lay in her swirl of blankets looking at the pretty lights.
Then I made the cupcakes. Pumpkin oatmeal spice with no icing. Walnut flax seed with vanilla powdered sugar, dried cherries in the mix and topped with cherry jam, and finally Ghirardelli Chocolate (from San Francisco) inside and melted atop plain white cake. Improvising with cardboard shirt boxes, wrapping paper and tissue, I made up four boxes. One delivered to a friend who lives in an assisted living. I assured him, I used no milk, no butter, no corn, corn starch, or corn syrup. (I used safflower oil, spring water, brown sugar, real sugar, flour, flax seed, oatmeal, real vanilla.) Then off to the neighbor who a few weeks ago did me a huge favor even though he barely knows me. (He came to the US as a refugee from Bosnia.) This morning, I delivered another to a business that I frequently visit, me and the dog. The people there have fed her endless treats. And then I went to visit another friend who has leant me films this year, some of which I have to return, and learned he has moved!
Such is the state of art and science at this time in my life.
I wish all my readers, whatever your ethnic origins or religious beliefs, at least one day of complete and total peace, inside yourself and with the world.
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