A week ago the Stevenson Ranch Community Association (HOA) held the annual Holiday Tree Lighting celebration and it went off without a hitch. It was about a year ago that the Stevenson Ranch community was embroiled in “Menorah-gate”. Yes, as crazy as that sounds there was an individual in the community that didn’t want to install the community Menorah for last year’s annual Holiday celebration.

Not that long after last year’s Hanukah holiday ended the individual that was at the center of the controversy resigned from Stevenson Ranch Community Association Board of Directors. Rightfully so, there is no place for religious intolerance in our community or anywhere else for that matter.

What a difference a year makes!

The Community Association once again sponsored a holiday celebration that was inclusive of all who wanted to participate. The large pine tree at the entrance into Stevenson Ranch was once again strung with lights and the Menorah was placed along side it on the lawn.

There was no controversy; no “times are a changing” as flimsy excuse to leave out a segment of the community. There was just another festive celebration of the Holiday Season which included all faiths that wished to participate.

I number of years ago, when I was serving the HOA, I received a call from a resident that wanted to put a Holiday decoration for Ramadan that year. The voice on the other end of the phone was firm, angry and ready to be combative. When he said he wanted to put up a decoration to mark the Islamic Holiday I responded by saying; “great! But I will need some help from you because I don’t know what kind of decoration was needed.”

There was a moment of silence and then the gentleman’s tone changed completely and he said that he had the decoration but needed help to install it. I gladly obliged and that was that; there was never an issue nor would there have been one.

One of the great things about the Stevenson Ranch area, and the Santa Clarita Valley for that fact, is the diversity of the residents. It is one big melting pot representing a wide range of ethnicities, religions and ancestral backgrounds all coexisting.

Sure,  there are the odd disputes from time to time but for the most part it is “live and let live” kind of community. As long as everyone is free to lawfully observe their beliefs without interference from others then there seems to be a harmony or equilibrium to our valley that is rather different from other areas that have a less diverse and less tolerant populations.

Once again, I can’t help but think that this time of year should be more about celebrating and giving thanks and less about rushing about buying ‘stuff’ to give to one another. It should be more about what we have in our family and friends and less about material abundance. It should be more about the less fortunate and those who are truly in need.

It reminds me of one of my favorite holiday books, Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch that Stole Christmas. Towards the end of the story the villainous Grinch has an epiphany:

“And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow, stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so? It came without ribbons.

It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags.

And he puzzled and puzzled ’till his puzzler was sore.

Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before.

What if Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store.

What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.”

It does mean more! I hope that you enjoy this Holiday Season to its fullest and take a little time to stop and smell the roses along the way.  

Dave Bossert- Commentary

Dave Bossert is a community volunteer who serves on a number of boards and councils. His commentaries represent his own opinions and not necessarily the views of any organization he may be affiliated with or those of the West Ranch Beacon.