It was in 2015 that my husband who is a rabbi decided he wanted to do a mitzvah (a good deed) and volunteered to put up the Christmas Lights at the entrance of our neighborhood. And so began the yearly tradition of the Rabbi of the neighborhood putting up the Christmas Lights for Heritage Square!
Neighbors began to help and each year the display became more beautiful! With other neighborhoods also joining in the fun, all the amazing displays each year radiated out so much Joy and Harmony throughout Boca Winds!
But this year there aren’t any Lights at the entrance of our Heritage Square neighborhood. There is an issue with the electricity which is going to take awhile to fix by the local electrical utility. The glitch is under the road so everything has to be redone.
With the situation in the Middle East, I wondered if this was a reflection of the times. Darkness instead of Light. Sigh….
But then I remembered a beautiful saying when lighting the Chanukah candles. There is one candle that is called the “helper candle” or shamash in Hebrew and is used to light the other candles. The saying is “Be the Shamash.”
And so I have taken that to heart to be the Shamash with every action I take whether it is a smile for the store clerk, a note sent to a friend or etherically spreading Radiant Light in Heritage Square. And yes, my neighborhood does feel brighter!
Perhaps this has always been the purpose of the Holiday Lights. To remind us of the power we each have to Light Up the darkness!
However you are celebrating to bring Radiant Light into our world: Merry Christmas! Happy Chanukah! A Blessed Kwanzaa!
A Radiant You!!
Love Always,
💕Lee
0 Comments