Fear not . . .

This is not your father’s “religious” column. (If you’re new here or not quite old enough to get the reference to the classic Oldsmobile ad, my apologies for the dated reference. Google it. We’ll wait.) This column focuses on the similarities in our religious beliefs.

It focuses on concepts we can all agree on for the most part. Indeed, Joran Slane Oppelt of Integral Church confirms that there are 25 core values that are common to all the planet’s major religions. So whether you prefer the teaching of “Jesus, Buddha, Krishna, Mohammed, Shankara, [or] Confucius” there’s something here for you.

I’ve said it before but it bears repeating: Call God whatever name you want. It’s cool. He’s omniscient, so He’ll know who you’re calling on; don’t stress it just be nice.

I admit I would call on God fairly frequently to banish a certain famous Danish toy production company to Hades when my bare feet would unwittingly discover a certain stray plastic interlocking plastic brick dropped in a haphazard bread crumb-like trail by my youngest son. Yes, my youngest son loved Lego. We even participated in a couple of building events with a Lego Master Builder and got his autograph.

Christmas

During an elementary school Christmas presentation all the kids stood up on stage and individually told all the moms, dads and other guests and shared their greatest Christmas wish. So after the other kids were finished wishing for “peace on earth,” and “goodwill to men,” my son was stepped onstage. He struck a solemn "Charlie Brown Christmas" Linus pose and prepared to tell everyone what “Christmas is all about.”

He wished “for all the Legos in the world.”

It was funny. And ya know what? In a way, he nailed it. If it would have been possible to purchase all the Lego toys in the world, I would have done so.

Despite the very real potential stigmata-like damage to my bare soles, I would have bought my son what "all the Legos in the world." (In fact, there were Christmases when my checking account made it look like I actually had.) Why?

Because I learned a lesson quite appropriate at Christmas (and in truth throughout the year): It’s more blessed to give than to receive. It’s a universal concept. As Oppelt put it: “Generosity, charity and kindness will open an individual to an unbounded reservoir of riches.”

I cannot recall one childhood Christmas day when my parents did not have a much, much smaller pile of presents than I had. I, too, have always remembered my children on Christmas as well. But, yeah, you don’t have to have all the money in the world to give to others.

I can think of numerous moments when my parents exhibited a sense of generous caring and gave of themselves too. I cannot remember one holiday season when my parents did not somehow give of themselves or exhibit kindness to others. But this isn’t just about them but about all of us.

The truth . . .

The truth is we don’t have to be rich to exemplify the idea that’s better to give than to receive. We can be generous and kind using more than our wallets. We can give of ourselves. We can be generous, charitable and kind with our time and effort. Remember the words to that Joni Mitchell song “Big Yellow Taxi”:

Don’t it always seem to go
That you don't know what you’ve got till it's gone

Make time for those important to you. Make those holiday visits. When you cannot visit, make phone calls. Tell the people you care about that you love them even if you cannot be there. The “unbounded reservoir of riches” you will receive is a future free of regrets over things you should have done but didn’t.

Thanks, mom and dad. I love you.

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