WHY NOT?

When things are tense at home, when the church is no longer in the village, or when one's mouth is drooping: what's the first thing people stop doing? Very often, celebrating! And we're not talking about the destructive kind of partying with lots of alcohol and drugs, which is sometimes used as an escape from challenging situations.

In difficult times, it's perfectly understandable that one might not want to celebrate, or might refrain from celebrating out of respect for the suffering of others. But celebration is multifaceted. It doesn't always have to be wild and boisterous. There are also very solemn forms, such as communal rituals.

Indeed, celebration unites people, as long as all participants choose to do so of their own free will and are fully present. Constructive celebration always involves intention. An important intention is to wholeheartedly surrender to the community and ultimately to the feeling of unity, to focus on joy and gratitude, while mentally letting go of divisive emotions and stories.

In Peru, celebrations are a regular occurrence, almost daily. One can find an opportunity to celebrate in virtually every moment – ​​which means surrendering to and experiencing unity.