Happy Tuesday! I’m actually writing this on Monday but since it will be posted late, Happy Tuesday! I hope you had a wonderful week. Rain finally arrived today and gave thirsty relief from the high 90s temps. I’m ready for autumn. Sort of.
Last Monday I mentioned my 4th of July weekend was patriotic and hopeful– like my mailbox cover. This week I’ll share why.
Friday evening the 3rd was the monthly prayer gathering for peace–how appropriate for the celebration of our country’s birthday. Before the actual gathering, several of us gathered for dinner at a fun French bistro, Amelie’s, famous for their pastries but everything else is delicious, too. There were seven of us dining–2 Christians, 2 Muslims, 2 Baha’is, and I’m not sure, but I think the seventh was Christian also. We didn’t plan to have equal representation, it simply worked out that way. And the conversation was better for it.
One of the Muslims is originally from Turkey; the other from another Middle Eastern country but I’m not sure which one. One of the Baha’is is from Iran. All of them are now American citizens and have lived and worked here for many years.
There was the usual small talk as we arrived. I was surprised at all the various tangents between us. Ohio and Michigan connections between me, the other Christian, and one of the Baha’is; one of the Muslims lives in a small SC town that ‘nobody’s heard of…’ But I had! One of Hubby’s good friends also lives there, and while we were walking the Camino in Spain, we’d met two ladies from that same small SC town. There were more connections, having to do with education, work, hobbies, etc. that served to strengthen the belief we really are one family.
The conversation then turned more serious–though still with sparks of humor and laughter–as we talked about our faith traditions. I’d asked questions about the Qur’an and Fikret answered them … and then we basically stumbled over each other’s sentences as we described how both our holy books are interpreted, often misinterpreted, and used by those wanting to wield the holy word as power over others.
We exchanged how in both traditions there are sects who read their holy book literally (if the Bible says God created the world in seven days, that’s it), and those who don’t (does it matter if the timing is strictly seven days when there were no clocks and calendars, or is it enough to know creation came about out of love and in an order that fulfilled that love?).
We shared examples of how believers in both faiths will ‘cut and paste’ specific passages to suit their needs, without reading the full context. Without sharing the full message of the text they cut and paste from.
Then the conversation turned personal as the Baha’i from Iran talked about not being allowed to return to his homeland because of his faith. Declaring one’s faith is required upon entering the country and Baha’is are targeted for not being Muslim. With the current chaos over there, there’s not sneaky roundabout way of entering. He’s an American, loves his adopted country, but still has family over there he cannot see.
Of course, we also discussed the distinctions between the Sunni and Shia sects of Islam. Hearing first hand from those who’ve actually lived through the tension between the sects is different than hearing the stories in the news.
It wasn’t lost on any of us we live in a country where these conversations can be held, openly. The level of comfort, support, and openness around that table is what I pray for daily to overcome the divisions in our country, and it’s those seeds we plant during the gatherings for peace.
Later that night and most of Saturday I watched David Muir and the rest of the ABC News crew travel the United States and celebrate our strengths and beauty. If you didn’t see this 24-hour special, America 250, it’s available on YouTube. Each hour is a separate unit so you can pick which portion you want to watch, but a thread throughout is the heart and spirit of the American people.
In one segment we meet a descendent of one of the enslaved people who built the White House– they had no idea of that part of their history. In a segment about Lady Liberty, we hear the stories of immigrants and their contributions to this country, past and present. In one hour, they took us ‘across 50 states in 50 hours’ and we saw the breadth of diversity and commonality in the small towns, universities, hometown pride, and businesses big and small that make America the treasure it is.
The physical beauty of our country wasn’t forgotten as each member of the ABC team visited one of our seven natural wonders: the Everglades, Niagara Falls, the Redwood Forest, the mountains of Appalachia, the volcanoes of Hawai’i, Yellowstone, and, of course, the Grand Canyon. If one had never thought about taking a road trip across America, this segment alone would spark that quest. We have a collective diverse beauty most other countries don’t have; one we should protect.
So yes, patriotism and hope. Not a bad way to begin our 251st year.
Here’s a pic of how I’ll be spending next week. Any ideas what this means? I’ll tell you all about the fun next Monday. May this week bring good things to your door … or window, too.
A Writer's Window 