What a rough time of year it is for some folks. Posts on Facebook appeared in staccato yesterday, asking which bars are open on Christmas Day. A young man’s first chemo was delayed so that his family could videotape him singing O Holy Night without being tethered to an IV pole. Another struggling with pain. Others with no money for food, let alone presents. People struggling because it’s the first year without their kids, their dad, their _____ at their side.
Melancholy often takes a front seat at Christmas, riding shotgun to the beauty, joy, and gratitude that dusts the surface of our lives.
Grace is there…all the time….if we look for it.
Yes, melancholy is the loud toddler throwing a tantrum in the front seat during the holidays. Giving it a “time out” doesn’t mean we don’t care about it, or the things it represents. It just quiets for a while so we can concentrate on driving, on what we see in front of us. It allows us to see the beauty of what we see rather than be distracted by the noise.
My hope for this holiday is that everyone stop talking for just a moment. Stop opening presents. Stop looking at your smartphone. Stop planning, going, doing. Just STOP. Close your eyes and breath deeply. Listen to your soul for a moment. Open your eyes and look at where you are. Sit quiet in the internal or external chaos and inhale the beauty of what and who you are. Look outside at the trees swaying in the wind. Notice the fresh snow in the hills. Walk outside and take a deep breath of cold air. Place your hand on your skin and notice how warm it feels. Eat something sweet and notice how your mouth waters.
You get the idea.
Just a girl 