Every year, Christmas is celebrated, and the festivity is always increasing only. Angels said that glory goes to heaven and peace is what earth needs. Little Jesus said that I am ready to be born wherever there is a woman to carry me. The shepherds knew no Testaments and were aware of their ignorance. They learned that it is darkness that needs light. Whatever, unless we care for the spirit in it, Christmas does not touch our hearts and passes through the periphery of our selves.
Harun Al Rashid was the 5th Caliph of the Abbasid Caliphate. It was during his tenure that Baghdad came to be known as the world knowledge centre. Once, he searched his domain for somebody still living, who might have seen and heard the prophet in person. There was an old woman of that kind. She was called to the palace. The Caliph asked her if she had heard him.
She said yes. Here, the Caliph asked her to share the message she had heard. She said, “When one gets old, two things go young – hope and greed.”
The Caliph thanked her and also gave her 100 Dinars.
She returned happily but after a while she began walking back to the place. She wanted to know that the 100 Dinars she was given are one time gift only or annually repeated. Caliph was now sure about the truth in the message given by the prophet. The Caliph told her that it is repeating. The story goes on saying that the woman passed away while on her return back to home.
Messages are in plenty everywhere. Unless one decides to change, it makes no difference. The Bible talks about a crowd of nearly five thousand people who gathered around Jesus with no reserves of food and water. They were lost in the enchanting discourse of the Master.
Some time back, I remember hearing a Paul story. When Paul came out of his office, a little boy was seen inspecting his new shining car. When he came to the car the boy asked him if this was his car. He said yes and also told him that it was gifted by his brother this Christmas. With wide open eyes, the boy asked him if he hadn’t had to spend any money.
“I wish…” the boy said and continued to be looking at the new car in awe.
Paul tried to complete what the boy was going to say. Maybe, ‘I wish I had been given one of this kind’ or ‘I wish I had such a brother’.
The boy looked at Paul and completed what he had discontinued. But it was none of that kind, which Paul had imagined.
The boy said, “I wish I could have given one to my brother!”
Behind every cultural celebration, there always is a message of sharing or offering. It’s a jump from getting to giving. Then why don’t people jump? A will to jump does not take anyone anywhere. Jumping means jumping!
