Lighting a Joyful Path for All Traditions
How to celebrate every moment
Man’s goodness is a flame that can be hidden but never extinguished.” — Nelson Mandela
I have chosen to let in the light. We are living spirits, here to experience it all. There is no limit to what we can revel in. That is why I choose to celebrate lots of traditions. On my 100-day journey exploring abundance, today is all about the overflow of different spiritual practices. They are all here to bring us joy and teach us about life.
I am a spiritual being who loves to let in the light of many traditions. I did not grow up with religious faith. However, I was always curious. During college, I decided to become Catholic. I had spent a lot of time in Mexico, and at the time, I was in a long-distance relationship with someone there. I felt called to join this faith and found a lot of beauty in the traditions. Some years passed, and then I decided to stop being a practicing Catholic. I still pray by candlelight every morning and evening. I feel the comfort in the words.
Recently, I have also found joy in the beautiful wooden laughing Buddha on our coffee table. Every morning I present an offering of fresh fruit, nuts, or other snacks for him. He reminds me of the pure joy that we can feel in our hearts if we focus on the positive aspects of life. This is another tradition I have adopted. It brings me peace, solace, and happiness. Layering these faiths has given me just the right mixture of faith to call in miracles every day. I love how I have created something that is all my own.
Tonight we are celebrating one night of Hanukah, just the three of us. This tradition started because my dear cousin Helen converted to Judaism a few years ago. I invited her to dinner one of the nights of Hanukah, and we enjoyed homemade latkes and even made lemon curd filled doughnuts. She taught us how to play the dreidel game, and she brought her menorah to light the candles.
Last year we had a big Hanukah party with our whole family here. That night a miracle happened. I stood at the stove for over an hour, frying fresh latkes. During this time, I had someone ask me for tiny candles because they had forgotten to bring some. Then, someone asked me where the citrus juicer was. After that, someone asked me for a baking tray. I managed to tend to all of these requests and more without burning a single latke!
Tonight we remember the miracles of life as we light our candles, fry our latkes, and enjoy each other’s company for this meal. There will be little gifts and surprises, joy, and smiles. That is what life is all about.
My prayer and my intention for you today is that you let the light in. Celebrate all of the goodness that life has to offer. Create traditions that you love and cherish.
Day #45: How can you create traditions that you love and that are unique to you?
Today I am sharing a video of a really fun Hanukah song that our family loves!
I am tagging some amazing fellow writers on this journey. They joined me on my 100-day spiritual journey and it is an honor to have them here on this journey. I ask that you read their beautiful work here on Medium. Thank you for your generosity! Bob Jasper, Charlotte Zobeir Ali, Rasheed Hooda, Jenine Bsharah Baines, Amy Marley, Gurpreet Dhariwal, Aurora Eliam, CMP, Chowa Sekai, Michele Thill, Terry Mansfield, Tony Young, Jr., Dr John Rose, Vishnu*s Virtues, Noma Dek, Neha Sandhir S, Art Bram, Joe Luca, Tree Langdon, Sherry S, Melissa Bee, Annelise Lords, Suntonu Bhadra, Henery X, Lanu Pitan, Annick Batamuliza, Taha Abbas, Nihan Kucukural, and many more! Thank you Illumination, Genius in a Bottle, Paper Poetry, and Medium Family!
Trista Signe Ainsworth is a Professional Organizer at Joyful Minimalism. She guides clients on a personal growth journey through their homes.
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