Whirling Dervish

On your mark, get set, GO! The holiday frenzy has begun and there is a frenetic energy coursing through the air. My carpets were cleaned yesterday and as I sit amongst all the furniture that has been removed from the carpeted areas of the house and disbursed in random non carpeted areas, I wonder if I will be ready for the big turkey dinner on Thursday. The thought that came to my mind this morning as I tried to sort out what I must accomplish in the next 48 hours was "I feel like a whirling dervish!"

As I sat down to write this morning I realized that I had no idea where the term whirling dervish came from, I just remember as a child being accused of being one and the wonder of it sent me to Goggle to see what a whirling dervish actually was. What I discovered surprised me.

A Whirling Dervish is actually an Islamic tradition of Sufism. It is a very devout Muslim faith and the whirling is a form of meditation. As I watched the faces of the Sufi's during the whirling, I actually saw peacefulness and calm and I wondered how the term "running around like a Whirling Dervish" became a negative thing.

Today it is with a new outlook that I set out to perform my holiday tasks. I feel enlightened and believe that if I just accept the tasks that must be done and perform them like a Whirling Dervish, I may become more in tune and happy. Rather than setting out to take care of my errands as drudgery, perhaps I should look at them as an honor and blessing.

I have the good fortune to be able to prepare a delicious meal for my family and to share time with my family over the holiday. I do not need to buy into anyone else's idea of what the holidays will be like. Yes, it will be busy and yes I might feel overwhelmed at times, but if that is the worst thing that happens to me then I am quite lucky. I now realize that being a Whirling Dervish is not a bad thing at all. I am actually feeling honored to be one. What don't you watch the video and decide for yourself.