This year, this crazy Everest of a year!
Out of all of it -
the stroke,
the sickness,
the faintings,
the heart surgery -
out of all this year,
I have packed this jewel into my life suitcase:
Even in dark times, there is light.
Maybe not a beacon, blazing with answers.
Maybe not something you can grab onto or tangibly feel.
Maybe not a voice that speaks that everything will be alright
- because sometimes, it's not alright.
Sometimes the rotten stuff still happens -
like war, and poverty, and cancer, and loss.
But I have this for you, my friends...
Even in the dark times, there is light.
Light of hope in something better.
Light of remembering shining moments already lived.
Light of kindness and compassion in friends and strangers.
Light of faith.
For me, it is faith in Divine Arms
that stooped down to walk in human skin
and faced trouble with love.
in Divine Arms that are just there, like in these old words -
"the eternal One is your hiding place,
and underneath are the everlasting arms."
Even my darkest times this year,
there was light.
Not blazing. But enough.
Even in my most scared, most vulnerable times,
there was this awareness of not being alone.
Not anything tangible. But enough.
Everlasting Arms.
Here is my wish for you, friends.
I wish for you
Thankfulness
in each of the sacred rites of the day -
dishes, drop-offs,
broken pencils,
squabbles and stomps,
broken pencils,
squabbles and stomps,
"stop wiping your face with pancake!"
"don't squirt tomatoes on the ceiling!"
and writer's block,
and writer's block,
and in all the great gulps, too -
a happy home,
a healthy heart,
life.
Love
like everlasting arms,
Love that surrounds and lifts
when you can't lift yourself.
Joy
that goes down to your very roots and comes up laughing.
and Light.
and Light.
I wish you the deeps, my friends.
Blissful Christmas!
Bright New Year!
Beautiful Life!
