Of concentrating on merry and bright.  But in the world that Shoes and I work in, there is always a balance.  My concentration on loveliness was tempered by a family experiencing shocking darkness.  Shoes' loveliness was tempered by an autopsy he was required to attend.

How much time do we spend at work? About 8 hours?  (I'm bad at work / life balance and often do paperwork well beyond that.)  We all  have things we specialize in.  Editing.  Retail.  Community Protection.  Food Service. Auto repair.  Nursing.  Marketing.  Shoes and I just happen to specialize in "whatever goes the most wrong in society".  I wouldn't be anywhere else, but on days like today, I get home, and I am so grateful for all of the little, tiny, most insignificant things that are going well.

Turns out those things aren't so insignificant after all.

On Facebook today, my friend Candace asked, "What does the Incarnation mean to you?"  Some believe.  Some don't.  But on today, the day before Christmas Eve, when I am waiting for my Shoes to arrive and it is almost Christmas and we have so many lovely things to look forward to and I have spent an afternoon grieving with people whose Christmases aren't going to go well, I'm deeply absorbed in this question.

I offer two bits:

One:  Without the Incarnation, I do not know how to offer hope to children who are physically, mentally and sexually abused.  I do not talk about it in session; I just personally do not know how to offer hope and light without the Incarnation.  There's a little verse about truly knowing what hope and faith mean .... after you've seen the darkness.

Two:  With the Incarnation, I believe there are good things in this world for us.  I live in the land of the living.   I need to see the good now.  The whole world changes for me with the Incarnation.

And so, while all Merry and Bright has not been lost, I find myself thoughtful and pensive.

And sending out good thoughts to the families who will be searching (and may just be finding) Merry and Bright in the midst of impossible situations.  (Send them out with me?)

0 comments



Post a Comment