Season of the Magical Child

I don't see that I'll ever stop celebrating winter holidays no matter if I declare or not...it would mean not participating in my family gatherings and even though we're secular...we have traditions. However, things will be changing. I'll be celebrating Baha'i holidays as part of my "investigation" and most likely they'll have more religious significance than holiday celebrations have ever had for me. They'd almost have to since I've never been religious. However, my mother and I call winter the "Season of the Magical Child".

About ten years ago, I wrote a short piece for a neighborhood newspaper about our views and while it isn't exactly the best writing I've ever turned out, I thought I'd include an excerpt today because I still believe the world would be a better place if we treat one another as if we really are children of God. How could you abuse or treat another unkindly if you truly view that person as a child of God? And equally important...how could you be unkind to yourself if you looked into the mirror and saw a child of God looking back at you?

"Imagine if each one of us was welcomed into the world with reverence as a magical child with "Christlike" possibilities? Why do we not drop to our knees at the announcement of every birth?

Imagine a world where every child is thought to be a savior."

Excerpted From Season of the Magical Child Healthy Thoughts 1999

If you study story and myth in every culture, you'll find many references to special or magical children born in the deep of winter who are misunderstood and thought to be trouble until they finally emerge into magical children who inspire or create miracles. I like thinking we're these miracle children ourselves and that all we have to do is start believing it and seeing it in one another.

What if we (me too) took these words to heart:

O Thou kind Lord! These lovely children are the handiwork of the fingers of Thy might and the wondrous signs of Thy greatness. O God! Protect these children, graciously assist them to be educated and enable them to render service to the world of humanity.
O God! These children are pearls, cause them to be nurtured within the shell of Thy loving-kindness.

Thou art the Bountiful, the All-Loving.

- `Abdu'l-Bahá

I think it has to start with the indiviual first. I can only imagine the changes we'd see if we saw ourselves as pearls and nurtured ourselves within the shell of God's loving kindness.

OK, on to another less important topic. The agave syrup marshmallows were a dud. The Persian candy on the other hand, was a little better.

Thank you for visiting!

p.s. I excitedly told my husband that my new signature colors are hot pink and orange. He paused to visualize and said, "Hmm, sounds a bit gaudy." Clearly he's not spent any time on Flickr falling in love with these.