At the moment I live on top of a mountain. It is even better
than that. I live on the sixth floor of a building on top of that
mountain. Of a morning I have this beautiful vista across from
the mountain of Montclair to the awe-inspiring metropolis of New
York City. In the morning I see the red glow of the sunrise getting
richer and richer, until the red ball of the sun moves up from
within it, to make the day. Before long all is white with light
and the world springs to life.
This holiday celebration we have called HumanLight because,
just as we are conscious of how the sun brings light and life
to the physical universe, we realize that human beings can bring
light and life to one another. Many of us call ourselves Humanists.
This means that we are dedicated to bringing light and life to
our fellow human beings.
The light we bring, we usually call reason, which means the clearest
and best thinking we have to guide our ways through life's challenges.
The life we bring is the love, the hope and the compassion we
have for our fellow human beings, our neighborhood, our environment
and our world.
The life we bring is also a joy in living. We know that life
brings sorrows, but it also brings its moment of happiness, enriching
relationships, fun and laughter.
HumanLight means all these things.
We get our light and life and love from our own experience and
from carefully listening to the best thoughts and insights from
all kinds of people, sources and places within our world. As "HumanLight
people" we sort out, we sift, we scrutinize, we search out what
is best, no matter where it comes from. In an unclouded way we
take it into ourselves and develop it so we can become the best
kinds of human being we can be. Thus we live life as happily and
responsibly as we can, and we bring to others and ourselves all
the joy we can. I short, we try to be enlightened, and to bring
to our local circle, and our world, that human beauty and light
which mirrors the beauty and the color of the morning sunrise
over Manhattan.
We believe this is the good way to live, the best way to live,
We feel good about this, we feel honest, authentic and comfortable,
because we are not passing the responsibility for difficult decisions
to any other person or group.
But even though, from the light of our own knowledge and reason,
we deeply develop our personal inner life, our humanist spiritual
life if you like, we are well aware that we are often very fragile
on our own. So most importantly of all, we need to bond, to connect
and to work and share with others. That is why, with us, our relationships,
with our loved ones, our friends, with the people who share our
values, our relationships I repeat, are the most important values
in our lives. That is why we are together today.
We are here to celebrate each other, to create and strengthen
bonds, and to enjoy and have fun with each other in this traditional
holiday season.
