A Special Christmas Gift to All

Many years ago, I found myself traveling to a foreign country known for dysentery, salmonella, and E Coli illnesses, caused by consuming the local food and water. As I was discussing with a friend my concerns about getting sick while visiting this interesting country, my friend reminded me of our old childhood custom. That custom being the blessing of our meals before we eat and drink it.

I remember our family giving the traditional blessing of each meal out of gratitude of receiving the food and drink which was prepared for us. However, we speculated that perhaps the tradition was started not just to giving thanks of gratitude for our meals, but for protection from a food borne illness which the meal may also contain. After all, it was not too long ago that a simple meal could become a final meal if food or drink contain enough of an infection.

I took my friends advice, and blessed every meal I partook of, both out of gratitude and for protection; except for one fast food meal which I forgot to bless. Interesting enough, that was the only meal I felt sick after eating it.

After that experience, I realized it is not just meals that we can bless, but the home we live in, the vehicles we travel in, the appliances and tools we use in our daily lives, and even family and friends. In fact, I now believe that this is a short list of the possibilities.

Recently the movie What the Bleep Do We Know!?, demonstrated the power of thought, prayer, and blessings upon water, and our lives.

So my Christmas gift to all of you, is to bless that which you eat, you drink, you ride in, you live in, you use to work with, you use in your hobbies, and everything else that you care about; and not only bless out of gratitude, but out of protection for you and them as well.

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and of course Happy New Years to you and yours!