Day #7
Imani (Faith)
It is no coincidence that the last principle of Kwanzaa directs our attention to the EXTREME IMPORTANCE of Faith in our lives.
Faith in ourselves, faith in each other and faith in the Higher Power which created our world and every Goodness within.
Kwanzaa is an emerging cultural tradition whose principles can be incorporated into any spiritual tradition because the concepts of Kwanzaa are universal.
Kwanzaa was created to give Hope to a People, Faith to a People that things in their lives could be better by holding more closely to their African Heritage and by following some basic humanistic concepts that are found in the Seven Principles to bring the community closer together.
Bring people together by working with each other more, respecting each other more and by learning to respect thr self more by discovering the creativity that lied within them and the purpose with which they wanted to live their lives.
And, to tie it all together - Faith.
Faith in themselves, in their community and in that Higher Power to see them through to a better day.
WHAT DO YOU HAVE FAITH IN?
More importantly, WHAT ARE YOU USING YOUR FAITH FOR?
To bring people together, to promote LOVE and PEACE and UNDERSTANDING amongst others of different cultural traditions?
Because whatever you put your Faith in, will put its faith in you.
So CHOOSE TO PUT YOUR FAITH IN THE POSITIVE - turn away from the negative.
We are all put here on this earth for a purpose. Once you discover yours, your life will be so filled with the GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT that it will hurt you to think negatively, speak negatively and to be unforgiving.
For whatever we give to Life is returned to us many times over.
So, BE PEACEFUL and FORGIVING.
EXPRESS POSITIVITY and SPREAD THAT HIGHER LOVE and you'll see your life transform itself.
Have FAITH.
------------------------------------------------
This is my last post in this thread.
My goal was one of Love, Peace, Understanding and Harmony.
It was an attempt to show that someone from a different background can reach across the cultural divide and find TRUE BEAUTY in someone else's cultural experience.
Kwanzaa isn't perfect - neither are some of the original people associated with it.
But that is not as important ultimately as is the wonderful feelings of cultural and personal pride that I have personally seen Kwanzaa bring into the lives of people who might have never felt these positive feelings about themselves before.
And if Kwanzaa can bring forth positive results in people's lives, then I feel it is a tradition which should be respected by other cultures.
I thank those who have come into this thread to think and to learn about a cultural tradition that they may not have known about before and to see if they could find a way to incorporate the Seven principles into their own lives at the start of a new year.
Take very good care, everyone.
Blessings - not just for those that kneel.
(Bono's personal admonition that everyone is entitled to God's Grace and forgiveness.)
