How can I reawaken my Christmas spirit? (belief, religion, create)
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I know what Castle it is...It's beautiful...He built it for his bride, who died before it was completed and never got to see it...It was never occupied by him...
Bride? The name of that bride was Richard Wagner, the composer Sorry for laughing, but seriously, it is the first time I read this version of the story. The king had a bride really, but he cancelled the wedding himself, and later she married another man. But he was a great admirer of Richard Wagner and built the castle as a monument to his art. There are themes from Wagner's operas everywhere in the interior. I am also an admirer, so this place is all the more special for me. And the composer really died before the castle was completed and never got to see it. Sorry for the off-topic.
If you do not like your current reality, try and build your own.
So long as you're aware that's what you're doing, it's not necessarily a bad idea. I think that everyone's home to some extent tries to be a refuge from the unpleasantness in the world. Nothing wrong with that as long as you understand its limitations and so long as you don't flee any engagement in or responsibility at all for reality itself, for the well being of your fellow humans, etc.
So long as you're aware that's what you're doing, it's not necessarily a bad idea. I think that everyone's home to some extent tries to be a refuge from the unpleasantness in the world. Nothing wrong with that as long as you understand its limitations and so long as you don't flee any engagement in or responsibility at all for reality itself, for the well being of your fellow humans, etc.
This phrase has been bugging me every time I read it, I guess because it is so imprecise. Where exactly do the limits of responsibility for other humans lie? My first trip to Bavaria, back when I lived in my birth country, cost me upward of $1000. Had I given the money to charity and contented myself with staying at home and viewing pictures, that money could have done good to some people. Does it make me an immoral person to have spent that much money on a selfish pleasure of a couple weeks' vacation? Back when I was a Christian, I believed that yes, it would be immoral to spend that much money on temporary and "fleshly" pleasures instead of laying up treasure in heaven. I believed that my money, time, health, emotions etc belong to God, not to myself. But I think I am free of that now.
Or take the OP. Maybe he would rather go fishing instead of sitting at a Christmas table with a crowd of relatives (what his wife seems to enjoy). Would it be irresponsible of him to do what HE desires to do on that day instead of what others expect of him?
I know what Castle it is...It's beautiful...He built it for his bride, who died before it was completed and never got to see it..
Ummm. Don't think so mate!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Norne
Bride? The name of that bride was Richard Wagner, the composer Sorry for laughing, but seriously, it is the first time I read this version of the story. The king had a bride really, but he cancelled the wedding himself, and later she married another man. But he was a great admirer of Richard Wagner and built the castle as a monument to his art. There are themes from Wagner's operas everywhere in the interior. I am also an admirer, so this place is all the more special for me. And the composer really died before the castle was completed and never got to see it. Sorry for the off-topic.
I'm desperate to learn how to love Christmas again. Over the years I've totally lost my mojo for celebrating Christmas. And I remember as a child it was the only holiday I always looked forward to. Now as an adult it just seems like another day. I feel bad though because my wife is huge on Celebrating Christmas. Any help or suggestions on what to do?
Well unfortunately none of us gets the opportunity to go back and be kids again. The closest we can come is to have kids of our own. And even that has a limited shelf life. I'm 68 and my kids are off having their own lives. And none of them has chosen to give me grand children yet. I guess I am at that awkward age.
Bride? The name of that bride was Richard Wagner, the composer Sorry for laughing, but seriously, it is the first time I read this version of the story. The king had a bride really, but he cancelled the wedding himself, and later she married another man. But he was a great admirer of Richard Wagner and built the castle as a monument to his art. There are themes from Wagner's operas everywhere in the interior. I am also an admirer, so this place is all the more special for me. And the composer really died before the castle was completed and never got to see it. Sorry for the off-topic.
I read it about 30 years ago in an actual book...The story goes that all the castles in Europe owe their existence to Castle Neuschwanstein...It seems every time I remember something I read long ago, it suddenly has changed to something that I do not recognize...Kinda like the history that I learned in school and related it to my granddad and him telling me that that was wrong, asking him how did he know and him telling me that he was there, he saw it with his own eyes...
This phrase has been bugging me every time I read it, I guess because it is so imprecise. Where exactly do the limits of responsibility for other humans lie? My first trip to Bavaria, back when I lived in my birth country, cost me upward of $1000. Had I given the money to charity and contented myself with staying at home and viewing pictures, that money could have done good to some people. Does it make me an immoral person to have spent that much money on a selfish pleasure of a couple weeks' vacation? Back when I was a Christian, I believed that yes, it would be immoral to spend that much money on temporary and "fleshly" pleasures instead of laying up treasure in heaven. I believed that my money, time, health, emotions etc belong to God, not to myself. But I think I am free of that now.
Or take the OP. Maybe he would rather go fishing instead of sitting at a Christmas table with a crowd of relatives (what his wife seems to enjoy). Would it be irresponsible of him to do what HE desires to do on that day instead of what others expect of him?
I would say no to both, so far as it's any of my business as an outside observer (it's not). I wouldn't judge it. I don't generally think in terms like that. My wife and I for example have been traveling a fair bit internationally (more or less annually) the past few years and that has been at the expense of visiting my daughter and grandchildren (who, to be fair, could just as well prioritize a visit to us; it IS their turn) and at the expense of much of our retirement savings. That is our needle to thread. We threaded it this way mainly because both of us are not enjoying the greatest health, and wanted to do it while we were up to it.
People make triage decisions like that all the time.
I am thinking more in terms of stretching / challenging ourselves in terms of empathy and caring, being less insular, more welcoming. (I actually think our travel experiences have opened us up more in that regard. The Berlin Christmas market attack was, for example, a LOT more relatable to me courtesy of our last trip to Europe where we actually experienced Christmas markets of that sort. Especially since that was right after the Paris attacks and my situational awareness was on high alert during those Christmas market visits, being aware of exit strategies and the like).
One expression of being less insular and more caring is that if Trump's congress enacts a tax cut for those in higher income brackets I will likely divert whatever savings that accrues to me, to local charities that support refugees in the area, or to local food kitchens and the like. I was happy to pay my fair share of taxes for the social safety net, and if Trump guts the social safety net so I can have a tax break then I feel it's my responsibility to negate my tax cut in that way.
I think Neuschwanstein was one of the LAST castles in Europe to be built!!
I've read that over half of the castle in Germany were destroyed during WWII...Is that also a wrong remembrance?...
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Sorry for laughing, but seriously, it is the first time I read this version of the story. The king had a bride really, but he cancelled the wedding himself, and later she married another man. But he was a great admirer of Richard Wagner and built the castle as a monument to his art. There are themes from Wagner's operas everywhere in the interior. I am also an admirer, so this place is all the more special for me. And the composer really died before the castle was completed and never got to see it. Sorry for the off-topic.
