As I left my in laws' home several weeks ago after my first Thanksgiving dinner of 2024 I realized, here we are again. We are quickly approaching the end of another year.
The holidays are among us...the invitations for fun are continuous...it's the most wonderful time of the year...it's the hap-happiest season of all...or is it?
Every year around this time, I take a moment to remind myself and those I love (YOU) of some truth. In a perfect world, this would be the most wonderful, happiest season of all. I mean how could it not be? Festivities are all around us...lights, music, energy. These are the days of laughter and rejoicing, of giving and serving, of reminiscing and dreaming. These are the days of food and family, of friends and fellowship, of travel and adventure.
And the world is still the world.
Days will still be hard. People will still get sick. The struggle will still be real. We need to remember to hold in tension that these are also the days of weeping and mourning, of need and rejection, of forgetting and letting go. These are the days of loneliness and loss, of hard memories and doubt, of isolation and regret.
You see, this is not a perfect world, and these are not yet the days of uninterrupted unanimous celebration.
For parents of littles these are the days of binkies and diapers…of spit up and blow outs…of early mornings and late nights.
For some these are the days of making ends meet and planning for the future, of time away from family and picking up broken pieces. For others these may even be the days of uncertainty and fear, confusion and anger, anxiety and trepidation.
For me, these are the days of college visits and hard decisions… of LAX games and endless workouts… of long work days and heavy leadership.
How do we hold the weight of life in tension with the joy of the holidays?
Well, we keep showing up for each other. We laugh with each other. We cry with each other. We check on each other. We help as much as we can. We forgive. We listen. We give the benefit of the doubt. We encourage. We live our lives to the best of our abilities and we love each other really, really well along the way.
I love each of you so very much! I see you. I'm standing with you. I’m glad you’re here.
I hope you enjoy this season even in the midst of life happening all around you. I hope you find time to eat well and rest and spend time doing things that bring you joy. I hope you take time to find the good in your life. I hope, with intention, you make these the days of contentment and peace…of hope and healing…of faith and love…of rest and reflection.
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