A Thought for Easter.
Yesterday, whilst shopping, I was surprised to see that the lady in
front of me at the check-out had at least sixteen fairly large chocolate Easter Eggs. She had a boy with
her whom I imagined was her son and I said to him. ‘You
are going to have a wonderful Easter provided you don’t make yourself sick with
all that chocolate’.
He looked at me as if I had two heads and said nothing. His mother spoke and said ‘No, not for him, for some of my neighbour’s children’. She was dressed in long black clothing as do most of the Muslim woman in the area.
I was curious and not knowing any difference, I said to her ‘Is Easter a religious event in Islam?’ ‘No, no’ she smiled and replied ‘but all the neighbours do. We only celebrate it as any other holiday – no religious connections’.
I was pleasantly surprised and delighted that she had not taken any offence at my question.
After I wished her and her son a lovely weekend, an odd thought occurred to me. Firstly, I was brought up as a Catholic – an Irish Catholic at that. I do not practice my religion or go to Church. I am however deeply ‘religious’ in my own sweet way.
I suppose I should call myself a ‘naturalist’ and my ‘church’ is the open countryside. I love nature and all its aspects….
After the conversation with the ‘Muslim’ woman, a memory of my ‘religious instruction’ at school came strongly into my mind. A thought of a little bit out of the ‘Penny Catechism’ opened my mind. ‘Who is my neighbour?’ and the reply was ‘My neighbour is all mankind’.
It is something that struck home quite hard. Here in London, I and millions of others literally do not know more than two or three of our near neighbours. That is a fact – a sad fact as it turns out.
Of course, the population of London, and the housing situation, makes it almost impossible to be otherwise. Most of us enter our home in the evening, lock the door and ‘keep ourselves to ourselves’. At Christmas, my wife writes out some Christmas Cards and drops them into four or five neighbours’ letter boxes. That’s it unless there is an emergency when everyone seems to unite and get involved. Rarely so………
So that’s about it. A Muslim woman buying fifteen or sixteen Chocolate Easter Eggs for ‘her (Christian) neighbours’ made me think.
All we, the ‘ordinary’ people, of whatever religion, nationality or race, wish for in this life, is a little peace, happiness and the best for our children and grandchildren. Not a great deal to ask for I would suggest……….
I sincerely hope that the Muslim lady and her son receive the blessings of Easter and that they live a long, happy and peaceful life.
And the same wishes to each and everyone of you………………
He looked at me as if I had two heads and said nothing. His mother spoke and said ‘No, not for him, for some of my neighbour’s children’. She was dressed in long black clothing as do most of the Muslim woman in the area.
I was curious and not knowing any difference, I said to her ‘Is Easter a religious event in Islam?’ ‘No, no’ she smiled and replied ‘but all the neighbours do. We only celebrate it as any other holiday – no religious connections’.
I was pleasantly surprised and delighted that she had not taken any offence at my question.
After I wished her and her son a lovely weekend, an odd thought occurred to me. Firstly, I was brought up as a Catholic – an Irish Catholic at that. I do not practice my religion or go to Church. I am however deeply ‘religious’ in my own sweet way.
I suppose I should call myself a ‘naturalist’ and my ‘church’ is the open countryside. I love nature and all its aspects….
After the conversation with the ‘Muslim’ woman, a memory of my ‘religious instruction’ at school came strongly into my mind. A thought of a little bit out of the ‘Penny Catechism’ opened my mind. ‘Who is my neighbour?’ and the reply was ‘My neighbour is all mankind’.
It is something that struck home quite hard. Here in London, I and millions of others literally do not know more than two or three of our near neighbours. That is a fact – a sad fact as it turns out.
Of course, the population of London, and the housing situation, makes it almost impossible to be otherwise. Most of us enter our home in the evening, lock the door and ‘keep ourselves to ourselves’. At Christmas, my wife writes out some Christmas Cards and drops them into four or five neighbours’ letter boxes. That’s it unless there is an emergency when everyone seems to unite and get involved. Rarely so………
So that’s about it. A Muslim woman buying fifteen or sixteen Chocolate Easter Eggs for ‘her (Christian) neighbours’ made me think.
All we, the ‘ordinary’ people, of whatever religion, nationality or race, wish for in this life, is a little peace, happiness and the best for our children and grandchildren. Not a great deal to ask for I would suggest……….
I sincerely hope that the Muslim lady and her son receive the blessings of Easter and that they live a long, happy and peaceful life.
And the same wishes to each and everyone of you………………
------Mike------
No comments:
Post a Comment