Jesus

Yesterday my yoga teacher Liz mentioned that Jesus came to Earth (or we might say was born) to help the humans do something in particular. I can't remember what, though. I'll have to ask her. Was he born to help people? What would Jesus do in this blizzard on his birthday right now? Would he help me move my car? Is he on the Catholics' shoulders as they distribute mass-produced turkey to people who are further along in the aging continuum?

What kind of associations am I supposed to be making today? The snow is coming down, and the world is very white, with a smattering of orange leaves and brown trunks.

It is peaceful. It is peaceful to be a being all by herself, with or without the Internet, with or without a dog. That's kind of the surprise of the day.

Last night I felt like there was no room for me and my dog at any inns or family members' homes. It was okay. I made do with more than a manger. I had heat. I had three wise friends over the phone.

I want to remember what Jesus was trying to do... I think he was trying to uplift, to tell us that we'd have life everlasting... I don't think he mentioned hell (didn't the Puritan priest, Jonathan Edwards, come up with that--sinners in the hands of an angry God?) I have a feeling Jesus wasn't trying to start religious wars. He wasn't trying to torment people for not believing in his divinity. I'm sure he wanted us to remember ours. His last words, I believe were: "Forgive them, Father, for they know not what they do." ... (But, I'm wondering, do you really think we don't know what we're doing, Jesus? I mean right or wrong, we know what we're doing. If you want to live in a duality anyway. Maybe we're just not making excuses for being ourselves. I mean what would you have done if God weren't so clearly your father? What did you do that we don't know about? :) )

Oh, wait. The reason why Jesus said that was because they were imposing the death penalty on him as, my brother-in-law Kumy says, he was doing tree pose on the cross. (Maybe Jesus' ego didn't even feel the persecution at all.) I want to remember why they put they imposed the death penalty on Jesus again... hmmm... Because he was a Jew, yeah? And the Romans didn't like it? What was Pontius Pilate's point? Say that five times fast.

Did Jesus come to Earth to fall in love with humans and humanity, to tell his dad/the creative force we were worthy of forgiveness? It's such an interesting story, that God gave us free will and then maybe was disappointed when we didn't follow the rules. (I think many people would argue the creative force wants us to be as creative as possible, so long as we're not too taxing on the system?) Some people believe in some of the rules more than the others. I guess that's what people fight about, and maybe I take issue with some rules, too.

But I hope we all agree that it's precious to be a part of it, my dear Spinoza.

It's so lucky to have the chance. And Liz says it goes on even after we die. So this essence of us, that has the good fortune to fall in love with you, and brussel sprouts, and even an inspiring philosopher or poet or teacher along the way--this is something sacred, part of it, and yet unique in its particular combination of energies.

Holy buckets of snow (much easier to see than all those snowflakes blizzing through the air). There is good fortune. And if I need to be forgiven, I'm supposed to know that Jesus and God will forgive me. And me, too.

So Happy Birthday... and global warming or not, thanks for giving me a chance to have Christmas all to myself. Hope to see you next year (and sooner, maybe even Sunday)