reply to post by Ha`la`tha
Thanks for the kind words my friend. My original post was about illustrating many things, and the first part of it is that some people are fostering,
and promoting an atmosphere of true fear.
One of the things I was trying to show was that the person doing this, in this case, even though he has a vastly different world view than mine as to
be almost complete polar opposites in perspective I still consider him a friend, and a dear friend.
I think people can agree to disagree as friends and thats an important lesson these days as more and more political factions and nations take a 'you
are with us or against us' in other words you either agree entirely with us and think as we do or you are our enemy and we will view you no
differently than someone actively plotting against us, simply because you are not for us.
So I was trying to illustrate the challenges in those types of friendships but that to me is a friend is a friend, is a friend regardless of how much
I agree with their views.
The second thing I was trying to illustrate that even in a time of fear and distrust that is no reason to not trying to reach out and bridge the gap
between what you fear and mistrust.
Most fears are simply based on the imagined, in other words a lack of real information. Isolating one's self in a time of fear only compounds and
deepens the fear and gives greater life to the illusions that comprise ones fears as they fester and grow in a vacuum that lacks quality information.
So rather than do that I first decided to learn more. What are they talking about with these Holidays? Why are the various sides celebrating them for
what purpose and how do they do their celebrations.
When I found out what Eid actually was I almost laughed it would be like saying that Christians would select Christmas to launch a war.
Alright George Washington's example at Trenton with the Hessians aside it's not a common practice in how Europeans fight wars, and it's doubtful it
would be a common practice either in how Easterners fight wars.
I found out two important things, the Eid is a lot like Christmas and Eid is a much more subdued affair for Muslims living in Western Nations that
don't universally celebrate as it is in Eastern nations.
I found out that the overall percentage of Muslims in the U.S.A. is relatively small.
Less than 5% of the population and that because it is such a small community and it's a universal holiday for them they are unable to celebrate it
here to the same extent and that's a rather sad occurence for them.
I spend most of my holidays alone so I know what sad occurence on Holidays is. I can empathize.
So I adopted a similiar strategy as I do on Christmas Time. In my business and I work for myself Muslims are represented in my clientel at about the
same percentage as they are nationally. I felt they would all be happily off work celebrating with their families, I sent text messages and phone
calls to those Muslims.
Yet I thought like I do on Christmas of the people behind the counters having to work, making the holiday doubly sad. At Christmas time I take a
survey of who is going to be working on Christmas Day at the shops and stores I frequent and put them on my gift list. Because I have no family
locally then on Christmas Day I visit those shops and stores and give gifts to those who have to work. Most of them are poorer minimum wage earners
and single mothers who invest most of what little they have in making the Holidays as enjoyable for the youngsters in their world and are often
overlooked themselves. So I remember them with a gift and sometimes it's the only gift they ended up recieving themselves for Christmas. It makes
them feel very good and me feel very good too.
So yesterday it was the same type of people only Muslims isntead of Christians and Eid instead of Christmas but the same basic principal of giving to
those you appreciate and love on a special and festive meaningful occassion to them.
I likened myself to Eid Claus because of the similairities, same stuff different day, different way to steel myself to cross the cultural divide and
rationalize what I was doing and why.
I recieved a bounty of good will and joy in return, that was also something universal and was given too in return in fact something I found quite nice
to recieve, tasty cookies and pastries but most and best of all warm smiles and thanks and happiness and joy.
There is a lot written into my post that in many ways runs the whole gambit of the Macro by reducing it to micro.
Thanks for your encouraging words, they mean a lot to me friend.