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Anticipation |
New Perspectives by Keith Reynolds To Comment on this article Click Here |
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 The
anticipation of Christmas often equals the joy of the actual day
for me. Signs all around remind me of what is to come. The day
is one to celebrate time with family, friends and the hope which
arrives in some surprising way. As the song says, “it's the
most wonderful time of the year.” It is a pretty great time and
the freshly fallen snow evokes for me a sense of wonder at it
all. Elie Wiesel, a recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1986, once said that the two most important words are “and yet.” They remind us of the hope and yet despair; the despair and yet hope. The suffering and yet joy of life. The joy of life and yet we suffer. And yet links two poles, two seeming opposites and joins them together to call us back to the fullness of life. He tells us that we must never forget this. For to live only in hope, joy, peace and love leaves us empty of the despair, suffering, violence and indifference which is also part of humanity, part of you and me.
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To live only in the pain and loss
misses the beauty of the celebration and wonder life brings. And yet
links us. And yet keep us in the reality of life. And yet grounds us
in honesty and perhaps humility too. I find it helpful to try to allow myself to be held by and yet this time of year. It keeps my feet on the ground, my heart somewhat humble, my expectations a bit more realistic and the sense that for some of us this time of year is not merry, happy and joy-filled. It is lonely and difficult. Some memories are hard and ones we wish we could forget. The anticipation of Christmas leaves some of us more empty than full. Sometimes, by acknowledging and naming the hiddenness of this season, the silent or not so silent suffering, something new can emerge. It may give a fleeting glimpse of something else, someone else who may offer the gift of life to us. The gift of life arrives in all its blessed mess and beautiful fragility encouraging us on the way toward becoming fully human.
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