How are you feeling about the approaching holiday season? As we near the end of 2022, our first “Post Pandemic” year, we know that re-entry into society has taken on different forms for different people. For some, it has presented a real challenge.
As we prepare for upcoming holidays, Tysons Interfaith is pleased to offer a series of blog posts authored by members of our faith communities that highlight reflections on self, our place in the world, and suggestions for re-entering society and promoting comity among family and friends.
We need to socialize-we are social creatures. We need to be able to have community, to come together, to share a language, a friendship. Covid changed all that. Isolating at home became the new normal. Now with vaccines and anti-viral medications, people are returning to socializing indoors and outdoors. This can lead to anxiety for many people. Taking a gradual approach will help most people ease back to socializing again.
We adapted to a new reality, living with the uncertainty and fear of the impact of a deadly Covid virus. We were forced to physically distance from family and friends with video calling becoming the primary way of socializing. It was challenging. We are creatures of habit, but we became accustomed to isolating at home. Now that we are used to isolating, it will be another transition to engage in person with others both indoors and outdoors.
Dealing with long periods of isolation can increase social anxiety even for those who are naturally extroverted. For those of us who enjoyed the isolation because of underlying social anxiety or being introverted, the return to awkward social situations is even more terrifying. You are not alone. Many people are dealing with these same feelings.
We have missed out on subtle forms of communicating like facial cues and body language which don’t come across over video or talking to people with masks on. The introvert and those with a diagnosis of social anxiety may have felt “comfortable” for the most part during the lockdown. Their challenge is having to deal with their difficulties in returning in person to social situations. Be understanding of your situation and the situation of others. Gradually begin to restart your social interactions, at first with people you are comfortable with. Make your initial interactions short, gradually increasing the time as your comfort level improves. Reward yourself for your effort by indulging in a solitary activity that brings you joy. Be kind to yourself. This might not be easy. Be kind to others. This may be difficult for them too.
Social anxiety, generalized anxiety, agoraphobia and other issues may require extra help. For those with conditions that impact their ability to function in society and are not successfully making the transition, professional help may be required.
As we enter the busy holiday season, here are a few of my thoughts on ways to keep one’s equilibrium:
CONNECT WITH LOVED ONES
HAVE A SENSE OF PURPOSE
FIND WAYS TO BE OF SERVICE
EXERCISE, GET GOOD SLEEP, EAT WELL
LIMIT SCREEN TIME AND AVOID GETTING OVERLOADED WITH INFORMATION YOU ARE UNABLE TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT
MAKE SURE YOUR INFORMATION IS COMING FROM A RELIABLE SOURCE
FINDING HOPE AND OPTIMISM CAN HAVE A POSITIVE IMPACT OR YOUR MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH
How are you feeling about the approaching holiday season? As we near the end of 2022, our first “Post Pandemic” year, we know that re-entry into society has taken on different forms for different people. For some, it has presented a real challenge.
As we prepare for upcoming holidays, Tysons Interfaith is pleased to offer a series of blog posts authored by members of our faith communities that highlight reflections on self, our place in the world, and suggestions for re-entering society and promoting comity among family and friends.
So, I’m invisible? Black women more often go unnoticed, according to this article.
As an Ethiopian-American woman, I devised defense mechanisms to avoid discrimination. I ignore the color of people’s skin. I choose to see the world through people’s eyes, instead of waxing philosophical about the color of people’s eyes. My perspective is shaped by people’s words and their actions, not their silhouette. You can have extra curves and I won’t dwell on it.
How we perceive the physical world directly affects our spirit. I spend one minute focused on my perceived invisibility and I’m down in the dumps. But, no, my heart will go on. Did I not cry as I watched the Titanic sink? Do I not write poetry about world hunger? As Sade put it in the “King of Sorrow,” “I’m crying everyone’s tears.”
If you are reading this, it means you trust me with your heart and soul. We read to experience the heights and depths of emotion and intellect. You have probably heard my laugh. It’s a loud, contagious cackle. I smile all the time. I get depressed. At times, I feel invincible and sometimes I can’t sleep, because there’s a world in need of repair (tikkun olam). I’m restless, but I enjoy sitting for hours drinking tea and eating lamb kabobs, hummus, falafels and baba ghanoush with my friends. It takes little to make me happy. Happiness is a heartbeat away! Are you breathing? Say, “Amen!”
And that’s all I have to say, “So be it!” If you want to change the world, appreciate the people around you. Love yourself. Seek opportunities to cherish diversity. The world is not so black and white. Those are two extremes. We meet somewhere in-between. Choose to see the best in people and give credit where credit is due. Remember everyone makes an important contribution. Defy stereotypes. Life is too short to hide behind descriptions that distance us from each other. We are meant to know one another (Qur’an 49:13). We are designed to love and be loved. If you go unnoticed, your soul is still of infinite worth and you are beautiful as you are.
Remember what Hagar said, “You are the God who sees me” (Genesis 16:13). If you’re hurt or if you suffer, trust that God is near. He has a purpose for your pain. Intimacy with God is to be treasured. He is closer than your jugular vein. Also, surround yourself by people who care about you and be uplifted. Don’t worry about what the polls say. You are precious. Tear down any barrier within yourself that is an obstacle to giving and receiving love (Rumi). Love is sometimes hidden, but you don’t have to hide anymore. Let your light shine, even if that light is blinding. So what, if no one notices? Be. Sometimes that’s all God commands and miracles happen.
How are you feeling about the approaching holiday season? As we near the end of 2022, our first “Post Pandemic” year, we know that re-entry into society has taken on different forms for different people. For some, it has presented a real challenge.
As we prepare for upcoming holidays, Tysons Interfaith is pleased to offer a series of blog posts authored by members of our faith communities that highlight reflections on self, our place in the world, and suggestions for re-entering society and promoting comity among family and friends.
The interfaith community has observed a noticeable reluctance to rejoin in-person sociality after the isolation of COVID lockdowns. It may be that it’s just easier or feels safer to attend online. For others it may be the challenge of depression or addiction resulting from isolation.
In addition, recovering from COVID isolation during the upcoming holiday season intersects with the long-standing problem of isolation and disappointment felt by many during the holidays.
The phrase “to put yourself out there,” while it may be overused, has an important element of truth: there is risk in trying to develop or maintain a friendship. What if my outreach is not reciprocated?
Nevertheless, people need people. A friendly word, a smile, an unexpected act of kindness, or an interest in others can be life-changing or at least help us through another day. It’s been said that if you are with a group of people and assume that half of the group is facing a life crisis, you’ll be right most of the time. Whichever half we’re on, in-person interactions can be the “Balm of Gilead.”
Call upon your faith in God to help you have the courage to make the effort to resume in-person sociality by trying to focus on lighting up someone else’s life. Try the smile, the compliment, the kind word, an unexpected card or gift. Especially in all-important family relationships, express appreciation, offer help, ask for forgiveness, give forgiveness, or if needed make an apology. Listen. Look for common ground. See the good in others; everyone has a gift and talent.
If we feel alone, volunteer to help others. With thousands of refugees and new immigrants in Northern Virginia, the needs are great. In volunteering you meet the best people in the community. You may wish to visit the Tysons Interfaith website Resources page, which lists volunteer opportunities and area non-profits with whom our faith communities partner. When we lighten the burdens of others, our burdens seem lighter.
Take advantage of your unique opportunity to fill the world with peace and goodwill this holiday season!
I wanted to share with you an exceptional program I have been involved with that is currently seeking volunteers.
Work Life from Jobs for Life, is an eight-week Biblically based program that seeks to break the cycle of joblessness and poverty by giving people the tools they need to find and maintain meaningful employment.
Mentors, teachers and professional coaches are needed for the upcoming class which will meet January 9 – March 9, 2023 on Mondays and Thursdays from 7pm – 9pm at the Lamb Center, 3160 Campbell Drive, Fairfax, VA 22031. Business owners and managers who are interested in helping people step into financial health are also needed.
While this is a Christian-based program, I have worked with volunteers and clients from a of a variety of faith traditions. It is so rewarding to be reminded of the brotherhood of humanity as together, we restore a sense of purpose and dignity to people and families in need.
There will be an In-person interest meeting on Saturday, October 29 from 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm at the Lamb Center.
For additional information, please visit this write-up from Centreville Presbyterian Church: https://centrevillepres.com/project/jobs-for-life/
This blog post is the expressed opinion of its writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Tysons Interfaith or its members.
Have you been thinking about volunteering and you’re wondering what organizations are out there needing help? Here is a great opportunity for you to explore.
On October 12, 13, and 14, 2022, Fairfax County will host a virtual “Venture Into Volunteering Fair.” More than two dozen non-profit organizations and Fairfax County agencies will share how they incorporate volunteers into service, and all will be available to answer questions. (Although this event is listed on the Fairfax County Department of Family Services Older Adults webpage, volunteerism has no age restriction!)
Venture Into Volunteering Fair
October 12, 13 and 14
10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
passcode: venture22!
OR
by phone: 888-270-9936
Conference Code: 114531
You can join at any time, for any of the 30-minute presentations. No pre-registration is necessary.
For more information on the organizations featured in each session, and the daily fair schedule, visit the Fairfax County Venture Into Volunteering page. If you are unable to attend a particular session, or have questions after the event, feel free to reach out to that organization directly using the contact information in the daily fair schedule.
If you have questions about this event, technical assistance, or need reasonable accommodations, please contact VolunteerSolutionsRecruitment@FairfaxCounty.gov or call 703-324-5406.
Can’t make the virtual fair? Check out service opportunities and Tysons-area nonprofits listed on the Tysons Interfaith Resource page: https://tysonsinterfaith.org/resources/
Shiloh Baptist Church, the beautiful church that sits on a rise just south of the intersection of Lewinsville Road and Spring Hill Road, celebrates 150 years of service to the community this year.
Founded in 1872 by Cyrus Franklin Carter, who also founded other churches in the area (First Baptist Church of Vienna and First Baptist Church Chesterbrook), Shiloh was central to the post-Civil War Odrick’s Corner Community. To read more about the history of the church, please visit shilohbcva.net/our-story.
To commemorate this special anniversary, Shiloh held a series of events including a community picnic in July, and a “Spotlight on Shiloh” event at the McLean Community Center in August. The celebrations culminated in a special worship service held on September 18.
The September 18 service, in addition to celebrating the church’s sesquicentennial, also recognized Rev. Dr. Robert F. Cheeks, Jr., and his wife, Minister Constance Cheeks, for their fifteen years of leadership to the congregation. It was a joyous occasion that included the presentation of a commendation from Fairfax County by Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay, and the reading of congratulatory messages from Governor Youngkin, the leadership of National Cathedral, and from Lewinsville Presbyterian Church which has been partnering with Shiloh Baptist in Bible study.
Shiloh Baptist is a member of Tysons Interfaith. At least four Tysons Interfaith communities were represented at the September 18 service. Pictured here at the service is Fazia Dean of Dar Al-Hijrah Islamic Center.
Tysons Interfaith congratulates Shiloh Baptist on their 150 years of enduring service to the local community. We look forward to continuing to partner with them to weave the values of spiritual connection, spiritual learning, mutual support, and community service into the fabric of the greater Tysons area.
The Jewish High Holidays are about to begin, starting at sundown on Sunday, September 25th. This first holiday is Rosh Hashanah (head of the year), the Jewish new year. You might assume that since this is the new year on the Hebrew calendar it is the fist day of the first month, but in fact it is the first day of the Hebrew month of Tishrei which is the 7th month. Why is this and how did it come to be?
The commandment to observe Rosh Hashanah is first found in the Torah, Hebrew Scripture, in the Book of Leviticus, 23:24-5. There it states:
In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, there shall be a rest day for you, a remembrance proclaimed with the blast of horns, a holy convocation. You shall not do any labor and you shall offer a fire-offering to the Eternal.
The nature of the day was established in the Torah, but the name Rosh Hashanah was not used until later, perhaps out of fear that a major Jewish festival around the Autumn new moon would be associated with the many pagan moon festivals that were common at the time. But by the time of the return from the Babylonian exile in the fourth century B.C.E., the observance of Rosh Hashanah as a new year festival was well established. In the Mishna, the first major written collection of Jewish oral traditions, Rosh Hashanah had taken on the meanings that we know today.
There are many traditions in observance of this holiday. The sounding of the shofar comes from the quote from Leviticus above. Apples dipped in honey are eaten to symbolize a sweet new year. The traditional challah (braided bread) eaten on the sabbath is round. Some see the round shape as a reflection of the continuing cycle of years and seasons. Another interpretation is that the round challah resembles a crown, symbolizing the sovereignty of God. A third explanation, is that it is a way to distinguish the already sacred challah we have on the Sabbath as something even more special and distinctive for the New Year. Finally, at a time of year when our thoughts turn to repentance and resolutions of self-improvement, the round challah reminds us that the opportunity for t’shuvah (repentance) is never-ending.
Ten days after Rosh Hashanah comes the most sacred day on the Hebrew calendar, Yom Kippur. On this day, a 25-hour complete fast is observed as Jews around the world attend synagogue services. Throughout the day, prayers are recited asking for forgiveness. The period from Rosh Hashanah through Yom Kippur is called Yamim Noraim or, ten Days of Awe, where we consider our repentance each day in preparation for our prayers.
A recent lead article in the Christian Science Monitor Daily really caught my attention. On September 15, editor Mark Sappenfield published a piece entitled “Butterflies, capitalism, and the golden rule.”
Butterflies, capitalism, and the golden rule
Editor
| When the world gathers in New York next week for the United Nations General Assembly, Kim Polman will be there to talk about butterflies – kind of. Ms. Polman is co-founder of Reboot the Future, an organization built on the idea that the golden rule – cherished in various forms by all human cultures – is the basis for societal and economic transformation. Ms. Polman is not alone in thinking capitalism needs a reboot. On one hand, capitalism has generated unprecedented wealth, lifting wide swaths of the world out of poverty. But it is also at the basis of what some call the “death economy” – extractive and exploitative practices built on competition run amok. She’ll be in New York to discuss the new book she helped write, “Values for a Life Economy.” The key to pivoting from an extractive, exploitative capitalism to one that embraces all and the planet is recognizing our deep interconnection. “We are all connected, and we are all responsible,” she says. “We need to wake up to the idea that we are not just here for ourselves.” She’s talking about nothing less than a shift in our economic paradigm. From the days of Adam Smith, capitalism has been about how competition holds our lower natures in check. Can we really expect more of ourselves as humans? That’s where the butterflies come in. When the caterpillar starts its metamorphosis, its cells actively resist. It tries to stop the process. “But the cell that holds the vision of the butterfly is innate in the caterpillar,” she says. The ability to transform is already there, and it only becomes active under duress. For humans, she says, that visionary cell is the golden rule – the innate, natural impulse to treat others and the world the way you would wish to be treated. “Our work,” she says, “is to reach a tipping point.” |
Isn’t this a wonderful thought to be discussing at the United Nations? An economic paradigm shift based on a deeper understanding of the Golden Rule.
Open mouth. Insert foot. I usually make at least one big mistake during a job interview. The moment I’m asked a question: the truth comes out and the delicate facade I carefully construct collapses.
During a Goldman Sachs interview, the interviewer noticed my focus was in the arts, not finance. She asked me, “Are you even interested in investment banking?” I could not lie. I said, “I’m not interested in investment banking per se, but I’m interested in the lifestyle it affords you.” Epic fail. The interview ended at this point and we began to discuss our favorite New York-based dance companies. Not a total loss.
Then comes my interview for a Clandestine Services position at the CIA. I didn’t even apply for this specific position, but I received a phone call from someone who purportedly worked for the CIA who wanted to interview me. After my spontaneous attempt to answer questions favorably, she asked if I had any questions about the CIA. Like a fool, I asked if the CIA was involved in the death of Princess Diana. I was tipped off by the tabloids, I withheld from saying. The CIA representative said, “No.” And she hung up. There go my chances of working with the elite.
I am humble. I cannot keep secrets. I’m an artist, librarian who likes to hide behind a book or camera. Looking back, I can laugh at my inane attempts to secure a job outside my area of expertise. Did I mention I’m a generalist? No expertise. Just a little bit of everything. It’s how my mind works, exhaustively seeking everyone’s perspective. As a librarian, great. As a future counselor, possibly.
God is gracious, He gives us opportunities. If we’re honest with ourselves and those around us, we’ll be led in the right direction. We may even become leaders. Truth is a prerequisite for guidance. With a strong commitment to truth, you’ll discover your life’s purpose and the people on your path will bless you. The beauty is you’ll be a blessing, too.
This blog post is the expressed opinion of its writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Tysons Interfaith or its members.
Over 40 years ago the United National General Assembly established the International Day of Peace. In 2001 they unanimously clarified the day as being dedicated to strengthening the ideals of peace among all nations and peoples of the earth. This year’s Day of Peace theme is End Racism. Build Peace
With all the serious challenges to peace around the world, and right here in the US, Tysons Interfaith will highlight the 2022 International Day of Peace (September 21, 2022) with a continuation of our Oneness of Humanity series.
The Oneness of Humanity series began in the summer of 2020, when Tysons Interfaith hosted an on-line discussion about the concept of the “Oneness of Humanity,” and what it means from different faith traditions. In the ensuing months, we also explored “Since we are one, how do we deal with race?” and “Do you feel a call to take action (to build an equitable society)?” The series has continued since 2020, exploring topics of common interest to people of all faith traditions and spiritual practices.
The title of our September 21, 2002 Oneness event is: Building Peaceful Communities, Promoting Mutual Respect: A Call to Action. The event will be held on Zoom from 7:00 – 8:30 pm, and will be facilitated by Dara Feldman, an educator, international speaker, author and founder of Virtues Matter. We will explore learning language and practical skills to promote peace, and how to recognize virtues in others to build/repair relationships and foster mutual respect. We hope you will join us!
To register and learn more about this event, please visit tysonsinterfaith.org/iwe-event/building-peaceful-communities/.
This blog post is the expressed opinion of its writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Tysons Interfaith or its members.