Happy Chanukah from Merry Christmas

When I first heard the greeting,"Hey" so prevalent in the South it seemed abrupt, a long way from the Midwestern upbringing instructions of "How do you do, Mrs. Bennett?" or "Good Afternoon, Dr. Welch." The "Hey" was accompanied by a sharp chin raise that seemed slightly confrontational, as well. But the greeting was just different. The intention was good and soon I adopted "Hey," and the chin lift as my official greeting. As Chanukah begins today, many Christians and other faiths will watch in wonder at unusual ritual, dress and food. Maybe some will even feel defensive of their own belief or uncomfortable with behavior they do not understand. If you look for the similarity within a group that worships a God, fashioned through history by their ancestors, you may find familiarity that will surprise you. Thousands of years of teaching have brought some to different places, but the origin and intention was and is good. Differences make us afraid but seeing commonalities will make us friends. A greeting of good intent and teaching people to be kind and fair, in whatever language they speak is O.K. by me.