Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Blessing of the Sun

Around the world, Jews gathered to celebrate Birkat HaChamah, the blessing of the sun done each 28 years commemorating the place of the sun on the moment of its creation. A beautiful ceremony.

Yesterday, I conducted an interfaith service at the hospital where I work and shared with the group this lovely tradition.* But I took it in a different direction, a daily blessing of the sun.

I asked folks to think about the times they:
worked the night shift
drove their car through the night
sat up all night with a sick child or loved one
pulled an all nighter of any sort.......

And then to think about how the mood shifted as morning broke and the sun began to rise.
Here comes the sun, little darling, here comes the sun,
and I say: it's all right.

After a night of awakeness -- do we not feel blessed to see the rising of the sun?
Another day awaits us.
Another day opens as our blank canvas ripe and ready for us to create anew.

The creation, continuing to unfold before our very eyes.
Indeed, we are blessed.
If blessings are not your thing -- how about a mere "thank you for another day of living" -- or a salute to the sun and creation (and its Creator.)

Let us go forth each day with awareness of the continual, renewing, unfolding nature of Creation.

*
At the service, I played three different versions of Here Comes the Sun: George Harrison, Ritchie Havens, and Rebecca Zapen. I recommend all three.


**
As a sidebar:
I once won a debate with the "here comes the sun argument" - which was my claim to fame in those competitive debating days.

As a smarty-pants 17 year old high school debater, I was under cross exam and my opponent said:

"Where is your proof? Can you prove what you just said?"
Of course I was just trying to lob a new idea by him (I am normally very, neurotically, prepared).
So I replied, "Will the sun rise tomorrow?"
Stunned, he answered, "Of course, but what does that have to do with my question?"
Smarty pants Me: "Can you prove the sun will rise tomorrow?"
Stunned him: "No, but it always does."
Smarty pants me: "You just trust it will be so, don't you?"
Stunned him, "Of course, but.."
Smarty pants me: "And I trust that what I said will be so. The sun rises each day without argument nor proof, and (blah, blah blah -- whatever crazy point I lobbed out of last minute desperation) will happen just like the sun."

Somehow, that disarmed him and I proceeded to win the debate. Go figure.

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