Please Receive This Wish

I feel sad for people who, upon receiving a “Merry Christmas” wish, feel compelled to explain that they don’t celebrate that occasion. Christmas is my holiday, and I am wishing the cheer and spirit of that day to them. 

Unless you have invited me to your place of worship, I probably don’t know what religion you practice. I don’t keep track of such things. It hardly seems important.

When someone wishes me a Happy Diwali, I accept their wish graciously and wish the same back to them. I’m fairly certain that no one is going to mistake me for a Hindu. They are simply offering a friendly blessing from the tradition in which they were raised. I receive their kind wishes with joy and humility.