I think of you every time I wish someone Merry Christmas he said. Thanks I said but I knew where this was going.  He had launched a campaign to wish everyone a Merry Christmas instead of letting the words Happy Holidays pass his lips. This from a faithful church going had lifesaving open heart surgery, second chance at life man who I think of as one of the nicest human beings I know…and who still owes me a glass of red and a co-written blog post.

He thinks of me because I’m ok with Happy Holidays, you can wish me Happy Holidays and I appreciate that you wish me well.  I’m no longer under the illusion that everyone celebrates Christmas.  I don’t presume to know everyone’s faith or what they believe in if they believe in anything.  I don’t push my faith on others and I don’t want them to push their faith on me.  Fact is I thought my faith was faltering for a long time but it wasn’t faith I was questioning it was religion and its rigidity and exclusivity and non-inclusiveness that was in question.  As I always say, “God ain’t mad at me, I’m doing good work”.

I am blessed to know and love many different kinds of people these days.  I’m no longer cocooned in a world of “my people” the way I was when I was growing up.  Things have changed, for the better in my opinion, when I can learn from different faiths and ethnicities and respect and love them just the same as if they were “going about with Merry Christmas on their lips”.

I love this season.  I didn’t always but my world has changed drastically and continues to change as I move through it with altered vision and perspective.  The more I look around the more I see the similarities and less I see the differences.  So if saying Happy Holidays is offensive to you I suggest you look at your valued collection of friends and colleagues and see if they might appreciate hearing that instead of Merry Christmas.  If Happy Holidays screams liberalism to you then perhaps you might want to step out of the political ring and into the town you live in where we help each other and say hello with full hearts every day.

Not acknowledging how diverse our towns, states and country has become is limiting yourself to the “old ways” that were none too happy for our ancestors who came from somewhere else and made a difference in our lives. Surely we’ve come farther than that.  Happy Holidays is a celebratory cry out for and from those who have embraced this country with their own traditions and love of freedom.

Open that now perfect heart my friend and see that you are surrounded by people who are living and loving this country and this season as much as you think you do.