It's Passover and Holy Week this week; the lovely overlap between Judaism and Christianity, just after the equinox, the birth of a new season and new life. Easter for those of you in the know, replaced the pagan holiday that celebrated the Babylonian goddess, Astarte. It was the moment when life returned to the earth after the fall and winter, which was her descent into the underworld for her love, Tammuz. She traveled through seven gates in the underworld to bring him back to life. It was the Babylonians' way to explain the change of seasons. And it's not an accident that Astarte and Easter appear to have a relationship in their spelling. You may recognize this story in other myths and you would be right. Ancient peoples dreamed in a common language.
Today is Good Friday and at sundown, Shabbat. Holidays (Holy Days) are important; we mark time and we stop in our busy lives to celebrate. Another poet friend noted that in her NaPoWriMo post earlier this week,'Jews have so many/holidays is because they know that the world/will always come up with occasions for sorrow.'
My Passover miracle this week: there was a fire in the hallway outside of my apartment when i wasn't home. The hallway was completely destroyed, but my door and apartment was untouched. True fact.
Happy Easter and Chag Sameach. Live your life and love it.
photo: © syreeta mcfadden 2009
1 comment:
Wow, beautiful photo! Glad to hear your apartment was not affected by the fire. xoxo
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