A pagan lives on my moshav. Nira moved here about 12 years ago. She's a real live, honest to goodness, sun worshiping pagan. I picked up on her religious persuasion immediately. My neighbors were incredulous. Here in the cradle of the world's three monotheistic religions, the very idea of worshiping the sun is absurd.
But I was worried. Nira was very active with the school and the preschoolers. She organized a winter's solstice for my then 4 year old Netanel's preschool Hanukkah party. The other parents thought it was quaint, or eccentric, but harmless. I almost fainted.
I am very open minded about these things. Over the years I have explained to my kids that there are things we believe, and things that Nira believes, and the difference is that the things that we believe are true. But I was never really sure if I was getting through.
Until tonight.
Observant Jews traditionally write the Aramaic or Hebrew initials for "Lord Willing" at the top of every thing they write on. (I don't. What do you do if you want to toss the paper later on?)
So tonight Netanel and I were sitting outside and he comes up with this one:
"I wonder what Nira writes at the top of her pages. 'SW'?
At first I didn't know where he was going with this.
"What?"
"You know, like how we write 'LW' for 'Lord Willing', does she write 'SW' for 'Sun Willing'?"
"I don't know. I never realy thought about it." Sometimes I'm amazed at the way his mind works.
"And lets say she backslides and goes secular. Does she go around saying the sun doesn't exist?"
"I guess so."
"So then how does she explain that big light in the sky?"
I'd never really given it much thought, but what happens if a pagan goes atheist? Good question.
Now I'm not sure if I worried too much about Nira, or if making sure my kids know a pagan when they see one paid off.
But I have another question. Now days they have all these initials on Messenger, like 'LOL' and 'TMI', and that 'OMG' is swearing. (sorry)
So what does a pagan write; 'OMS'?
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