Re: Re: holiday celebrations | <– Date –> <– Thread –> |
From: PattyMara Gourley (pattymarajuno.com) | |
Date: Sun, 8 Dec 2002 09:42:05 -0700 (MST) |
At Tierra Nueva, where we're in our fifth year of living together, or next to each other, we encourage all celebrations. All holidays and persuasions. We even have a policy encouraging the whole range of possibilities, which emerged during our first year together when the Christmas Tree discussion first surfaced. I like seeing the menorahs, the tree and the solstice suns all blended together in the common house. For some rituals, like our Day of the Dead celebration, we use our outdoor meditation garden, where we set up an altar with pictures of our families and friends who have passed on. We have yoga and meditation groups, full moon ceremonies, passover seders, sabot and samhein, women parties, a man's group and kid parties/rites of passage. It is all good. I recently heard from my grown daughter Lauren, who is doing graduate work at U of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Lauren grew up coming to meetings with us for years, before we finally moved in. She was listened to, at age 12 when she had something to contribute at meetings. She worked on committees, helped plan and cater our groundblessing ceremony at age 17. She is truly a marvel to us, and she was deeply affected by the community life she experienced. In her latest email she sent an urgent request to mail her all of our holiday tapes and cds for a party she is planning with her roommate. She attached a graphics file of the invitation she made. On it are pictures of a Kwanzaa woman, Santa Claus, a star of David/menorah, a snowflake and a Buddha. It reads: "YULE FEST 2002. Unpack your favorite Christmas/Chanukah/Solstice/Kwanzaa/other-winter-holiday sweater (or sweater-vest)! It's Time to Par-tay. Tim and Lauren invite you to the cheesiest celebration of 2002. There'll be a crackling fire on the television, Mannheim Steamroller on the stereo and plenty of 'nog and cheese log for all! Grab your favorite Yuletide snack and/or Yuletide beverage "to pass" and join us!" See what I mean? Besides the fact that Lauren is an amazing young woman, and truly remarkable left to her own devices, she was deeply influenced by the juicy melding of many persuasions that are celebrated by her mom and dad and the rest of us here at Tierra Nueva. I encourage all groups to fill their common houses, AND their private homes with color, ritual, memories, celebrations, song. Be joyful together, and grieve together. Cue the "Circle of Life" and all the animal puppets and dancers from the Lion King. Par-tay on, Patty Mara Gourley Tierra Nueva, central CA coast ________________________________________________________________ Sign Up for Juno Platinum Internet Access Today Only $9.95 per month! Visit www.juno.com _______________________________________________ Cohousing-L mailing list Cohousing-L [at] cohousing.org Unsubscribe and other info: http://www.communityforum.net/mailman/listinfo/cohousing-l
- Re: Holiday Celebrations, (continued)
- Re: Holiday Celebrations Elizabeth Stevenson, December 6 2002
- RE: Holiday Celebrations Rob Sandelin, December 6 2002
- Re: Holiday Celebrations Sharon Villines, December 7 2002
- Re: holiday celebrations Berrins, December 7 2002
- Re: Re: holiday celebrations PattyMara Gourley, December 8 2002
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