Dear Friends,
I came across these words of the Boulder poet, Andrea Gibson (of blessed memory) –
A difficult life is not less
Andrea Gibson
worth living than a gentle one.
Joy is simply easier to carry
than sorrow. And your heart
could lift a city from how long
you’ve spent holding what’s been
nearly impossible to hold.
This world needs those
who know how to do that.
Those who could find a tunnel
that has no light at the end of it,
and hold it up like a telescope
to know the darkness
also contains truths that could
bring the light to its knees.
Grief astronomer, adjust the lens,
look close, tell us what you see.
Christmas is a season of light. Twinkling lights on a tree or outside a house. Candlelight. When I was a kid, my favorite Christmas decorations were the single (electric) candles my parents put in each window on the first floor. I can still remember the faded yellowish plastic of the candle and the (fake) flame on the top.
In this season we hear the word Immanuel “God with us” in hymns and scripture. Difficult and gentle lives both can use the accompaniment of God’s presence.
Across the years I have sometimes (perhaps you too) gone Christmas caroling to people’s homes, apartments, retirement communities. Why do we do it? To remind ourselves we are in this together, and God along with us.
In the divides I have always known of in this country (I remember the signs of my youth: “America: love it or leave it” – that confused me) it is a holy and good thing to remind ourselves God is with us (all of us).
This week a new worshipper at First Church wrote me about a way she was inspired from worship and went and met some people who were gathering together in fear, just to let them know they weren’t alone. What a beautiful thing! If you do or see something like this would you pass it along?
Keep tellin’ the Story,
Mike
Enjoy this rendition of the Candlelight Carol by John Rutter.
This week’s takeaway: Joy is easier to carry when we carry it together.