Just me and my Menorah

I was taking down my holiday decorations today, and I lingered on the menorah. What is it about Channukah that captures the world's attention? It's not the most important holiday, at least, not spiritually important, and though still quite Orthodox in comparison to Christmas, has gone commercial. We's ain'ts gots nothin' on Yom Kippur...and yet, there's a reason why Channukah took on the role in the Jewish world that it did. The menorah! What a beautiful symbol! Story goes, oil meant to last only one day lasted eight, enough to get the people through the seige or whatever it was that was keeping them from their oil stores; God had helped his people out in a time of need. Yes, politically (if you will), we remind ourselves of that history, that story. But it's a beautiful light...and I love mine, because not only does it direct my attention to the Star (always a symbol of hope and light), but it also reminds me of the fact that God (The Truth/Oneness/Nirvana/Love) is always with us and will provide a light in the darkest times of our lives, and not just once, but day after day after day, for as long as it takes. And then, as we look at each light burning, we remember how beautiful each individual flame is, just like each individual person, or piece of the Collective Love, is, just as taking a step back to get the effect of the entire, blazing menorah, we see the great harmony it makes and the bright, strong light. We count eight individual lights, all lit from the same central flame, and we take eight whole nights to play, sing, feast, give gifts to the people we love because we love them and because God loves us, and isn't it beautiful that we can just sit here and bask in the glow of the warm fire and do nothing but enjoy life?