Some Christmas Thoughts in Mexico

Today is a day of celebration of one of the world's greatest messages. As Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus, what this means is both universal and unique for each person.

To me, the essence of Christianity is the universal message to love our neighbors as ourselves -- a message rooted in Judaism and shared with all the great religions and ethical teachings.

It's a lovely phrase and an enormous challenge. When Kelly and I wrote our wedding vows long ago, we promised to respect each other's needs and wishes as equal to our own. We've kept that as a goal, though of course we have often done otherwise. Very often.

If it's as challenging as it's been with one beloved person, how well have I done at loving my neighbors, some of whom I don't even like? Nowhere near 100%, that's for sure... so forgiveness is mighty welcome. How will I express this love in the future? I've been reflecting on this.

And that's where Mexico comes in. It's my home. My neighbors are mostly Mexicans -- people of a different culture, people of different economic levels, people who speak a different language -- and often way too rapidly for me to get all they are saying! But many of my North American English-speaking neighbors also come from very different backgrounds than Kelly and I do.

Diversity like this means I encounter people regularly who see life very differently than I do, and so I am always trying to respect everybody's right to their own viewpoints, choices, and lives... even when I don't agree with them!

Beyond that, I celebrate what I see around me. It's easy to celebrate the stunning beauty of Lake Chapala, the kindness and spontaneous warmth so characteristic of Mexicans, the climate here, and much more. Other things do present a challenge. I'll keep working on it, in my life and here in my blog. Jesus left us a lot of good advice about how to work on it. Merry Christmas, everyone!