Today is Epiphany. Perhaps the highpoint of Christmas, especially for those in Southern Europe (and affiliated cultures elsewhere), but traditionally, of course, it is the official end of the holiday, in particular Christmas, season. (If you didn't get that, I discussed it last year, so you can read up on it here.) If it is the Day of Manifestation, though, what could that possibly mean for us here and now?
Beside the celebrations and frivolity, today is the day when it would do us all well to take a moment to turn inwardly and ask ourselves about our own manifestation in the world: are we as we would like to be? are we to others what we want to be? do others see us as we wish to be? just what kind of presence are we making in the world?
These are nice touchy-feely exercises, to be sure, and for that reason they are probably not taken seriously enough. I'm not the one who would maintain that we should always try to live up to others' expectations of us, but we should at least be aware of the effect and impact we have on those close to us and with whom we come into frequent (and perhaps not-so-frequent) contact.
On the other hand, we should be just as aware of how we're seen by others, so that we can at least compare the images and play that game we all loved as children: finding the differences between two pictures. I say we should be as aware, but I also know how difficult that is. As far back as 1785, even Robert Burns (in "To A Louse") pointed out so aptly:
O wad some Power the giftie gie us
To see oursels as ithers see us!
Yes, it takes some effort, but we're given so many opportunities to try it again. Today, as I said, is not just as good a day as any. In a sense, that's what today was made for.
It's Epiphany today. Have you had one lately? If you look, you just might find one.
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