I find that we as a society have moved away from celebrating most holidays in a meaningful or spiritual manner. I emphasize taking what I call empty holiday observances and filling them with meaning and spirit. That means getting away from the commercial influences that want us to simply buy something to fulfill whatever obligation we have for a holiday…like on Christmas or Chanukah or even Easter. The same is true for so-called Hallmark Holidays like Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, or Valentine’s Day. We just run out to the store and buy a gift and a card or take someone out to dinner and we think that’s enough. I consider this empty observance. I think we need to look for more meaningful and more spiritual ways to observe these holidays even if it means making more effort and putting more time and thought into them.
Even though Memorial Day is not a commercial holiday – we aren’t buying anything like gifts – we do end up focusing on the picnics and barbeques rather than on the real meaning of the holiday. And this is marketed to us… So, in the same way, we need to get away from the empty observance and fill it with meaning and spirit.
How are you doing that today? I offered some suggestions in my last post. Try some of them right now…find a cemetery to visit, participate in a moment of remembrance, light a candle, visit someone who has lost a family member or friend to war…do something meaningful.
And then start thinking about Father’s Day, which is right around the corner. How will you celebrate that in a meaningful or spiritual manner. Don’t fall into the commercial rut. Don’t do what is easiest. Do something with meaning and spirit for every holiday. You’ll be glad you did.
