| TRINITY OF A TIMELESS JOURNEY – COMPILATION OF THREE POEMS – CELEBRATING CHRISTMAS by Hardarshan Singh Valia Excerpts from: THE BOOK – “A MAGIC HOUR FAMILY CHRISTMAS” by The Magic Hour Writers, Flying Turtle Publishing, 2005 |
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| This family book can be bought from Amazon or Turtle Publishing. |
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GUEST COMMENTARY: Answer hate with love
What do you give to people whose soul is wounded by gunshots unleashed by a white supremacist? The answer was blowing in the wind when I reached the sight of a recent candlelight vigil at Oak Creek Sikh Temple of Wisconsin. There, Wade Michael Page, leader of the White Power band End Apathy, gunned down six Sikh worshipers and wounded scores. There I saw Arno Michaelis, a former leader of the white-power band Centurion, who was wondering if his lyrics urged Page on. Was he partly to blame for the killings that August day? Michaelis had approached Pardeep Kaleka, whose father Satwant Singh Kaleka, was the temple president Page had killed. Each man offered his hand to the other without fear. They embraced their decision to march together to spread the message of peace. Arno and Pardeep caught my attention. I approached the two. No words came forth from my lips. All I could do was to remove my Sikh bracelet (kada) and offer it to Arno. The Sikh bracelet is one of the five symbols of Sikh religion signifying the bonding of humans with other humans and with God. Instantly the brightness of his bracelet that was blessed by the hands of two Muslim workers, who had re-welded it and polished it in India, formed the rainbow that could reach from Earth to heaven. I knew it was one that could be seen by worshipers in churches, synagogues, mosques and temples round the world. Later, during the second anniversary as I entered the Sikh Temple, I opened my eyes after meditation. I saw to my right a sight that mankind has sought age after age: Arno was cross-legged, eyes closed, meditating intensely, a picture of peace. Now fast-forward to recent times: I am hopeful at the strength of conviction of forgiveness as shown by the worshipers at Emanuel Methodist church of Charleston and kindness of victims at Inland Regional Center of San Bernardino. In spite of the political rhetoric of current times that is capable of invigorating fringe groups, a magical moment is awaiting to happen. It will strengthen and preserve the delicate fabric of American togetherness that has been built by the pilgrims of past and present. Hardarshan Singh Valia is a Highland resident. The opinions are the writer's. |
December 27, 2015: On seeing a subheading on MSNBC News, "Political rhetoric invigorates fringe groups," my thoughts brought back images of this true story: