Well, hello! As I sign off for the holiday, I'd like to share a few thoughts with you, my sweet friends, about what this time of year means to me...
All of this lovely holiday season, I've been thinking about circles and light, as in: beginnings, not endings; the ever-surprising chance to start anew; the act of forgiveness, so terribly difficult, yet so simple (just a letting go, really); and our amazing capacity as humans to hope, always hope, even in the most uncertain times.
But, mostly just circles and light.
Like wreaths and candles. Christmas ones, Hanukkah ones. Any old ones--because they all mean the same thing. A wreath is a circle, a form with no end, a continuous journey--like life, the seasons, love, or even a simple hug for a child, loved-one, friend, or lover.
And light is a symbol, of course, of good over evil, of truth over lies, of clarity over confusion and darkness. Why is it, I wonder, that I focus so clearly on these things at Christmas and Hanukkah, and less at other times of the year? Why not every day, every minute of every day?
Is it the season of the year? Of course, it's winter in half of the world, and so we light the darkness as we celebrate the turning of the year, but half of the world is in summer right now (we Americans always forget this). So, it's more than cold and darkness. It's about us, really; it's about how we must hope, and what we must celebrate: it's about miracles.
The miracle of Jesus' birth, the miracle of the oil that lasted eight whole days, when it should have lasted only one. The miracle of a baby, and the miracle of light: both gifts, both telling us that we are not alone, that we are protected, that we matter. They remind us that we must always, always remember that goodness, that light, that life itself will triumph over their counterparts.
And what are "goodness, light and life?" What would you call those things, taken together?
I'd call them love. Just love. It's God's love, yes, if you happen to believe in that. It's also our love, for each other, individually and as a whole race--this is the gift that we can give every day, year-round, to one and all. Forgiveness and love. The candle is also the light of forgiveness; often dimmed, yes, but never extinguished. The wreath is the love that does not end.
There is no way to end it, sweet friends. There simply is no end. At any time, at any moment of any day, love is there. Waiting for you and me, waiting for us to make the choice that we are given, to share or to die. I'm not talking about death as in death, I'm talking about death as in what happens to us when we do not give and receive love as we are meant to. It's our purpose, it's why we are here. It's why we create art and babies and steaming bowls of home made soup. It's why we can look another person in the eyes and recognize their strange kinship, stranger or no.
Now, I'm not at all advising that we love those who damage us--not directly, at least. We can let those people go, release them from our lives, and still forgive them, with love. And we should--release them, I mean. But, the sooner we realize that we are all connected and that what we do to one, we do to everyone, including ourselves, the sooner we can heal this scary, beautiful world.
We're like the wreath and the candle's flame, we really are. We are together, ever-linked, and lit through love.
And that's my Christmas wish: that you and I and everyone in the world can catch a glimpse, just a glimpse, of the love that we have, here and now, right this second. Because we can make a bright heaven here on earth...one that never ends. Really.
So, Merry Christmas to all, and happy holidays where ever you may be. Thank you so much for reading, this and all the other silly posts, and I wish you, each and every one, a love-filled, light-filled new year. I'll be back in a few days--I do so hope to see you then! (And pssst: Enjoy every little bit.)
Cheers!
xoxox.
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(All photos on this post are of La Casa De Estudillo, an accurately-restored 1827 adobe hacienda in San Diego, California. I love it there.)
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