Oh, Lord.

What is the hardest thing that you are giving up from your prior religion?

Oy va voy.  Here we go.  Wow.  How do you write an introduction to that question?  This one is particularly sensitive.  It’s almost too sensitive to answer.  I mean, I guess.  I’m over thinking I have to cry the blues when talking about religion or switching religions.  I’ve got to tell you I don’t feel any great loss.  I don’t associate finding a path to Gd, or choosing one religion over another with loss.  I believe that there are many paths to Gd.  If Jesus is your way, good for you.  If you’re into Buddha, awesome.  I’ve never thought that there is one way to get there.  I’m choosing to go down a Jewish path.  Mazel Tov to me.  Mazel Tov to you if you’re doing it a different way.  The goal is to be cognisant.  The goal is to be mindful and not blindly follow a choice that you were spoon fed at 3.

Though, I think I’m supposed to answer this with something big like Jesus or Christmas.  I’ve got no beef with Jesus.  He was a good man.  He’s a great example.  I just don’t think of him as divine.  AND…so what.  You might have noticed that a lot of folks don’t.  Then there’s Christmas.  Well, Christmas?  To me?  That’s a time of year that celebrates family.  Being Jewish doesn’t mean that I don’t get to celebrate my love for my family at any point in the year.  If my mom wants me home for Christmas, you can bet your ass I’m going.

I’d rather celebrate the things that I’m gaining.  How about how I get to argue about the meaning of the Bible?  How about how now I’m part of the conversation?  How about how I have to take time out each year and review who I am and how I’m relating to people in my world?  I could go on and on.  I’m going to choose to celebrate the things that I’m gaining, rather that what I may or may not have lost.  So, take that.