Feasting

Feasting is the flame in mid-winter

That kindles the fire of friendship

And strengthens the community.

In the past, feasting was a way to bind the community closer together. The same is  true today.

Whether they are cultural gatherings, times of group worship, or even  special dinners with friends, we all need moments where we come together and  reaffirm the importance of our group.

The cheer that we feel is essential both to the collective and the individuals involved.

The affirmation of the group should not be a sublimation of the individual  but rather a framework for involvement.

A good gathering requires participation  the efforts of organization, work, and attendance and in turn gives back sustenance for body and soul, a sense of belonging, and the accomplishment of  something that could not be done by the individuals alone.

Like any other human endeavour, the feast is vulnerable to manipulation and  politics, the selfish maneuvering of cynical individuals.

This is difficult to avoid  completely, for it is impossible for any group to truly be united. The only way to  mitigate this is for the collective to keep its intentions strictly on its purpose, to select its leaders wisely, and for those leaders to be as enlightened as possible.