Yes, according to our ancient Christian calendar, the Church’s New Year has begun, marked by the season of Advent.
Our lovely priest in Barton, Vermont, Father Sixmund of Tanzania, reminded us during Mass yesterday that the way to assure joy in Advent as well as in the New Year is through forgiveness.
Such a simple yet powerful formula: practice forgiveness and find joy.
Standing on the edge of the New Year, entering a season of preparation, I am still full of Thanksgiving gratitude. Last week, I gave thanks for family, friends, love, generosity, opportunities, adventure. And today I add, “I am thankful I practice forgiveness.”
Tomorrow morning, my husband drives me to the airport in Burlington, journeying to Florida, to warm friends and warm weather. How blessed I am to be able to leave the frozen North, following the sun south. Surely, many women would like to have this chance: to have a marriage grounded in freedom and love! We don’t own each other, we encourage each other.
Arranging for a winter spent in Florida and India required some long range planning and creativity. CNN news personality Rachel Maddow says that, when planning to chase a big change or dream, fear and anxiety can have no place or sway. “It’s not about any of that. It’s about the fable you want to write about your own life.”
Writing my own fable? I’ll work on it. I know it is about a woman who forgives, loves, experiences joy, shares, learns, works, cares and believes.
Tonight, celebrating the New Year, I look back at what has been as I regard an exhale: the used up, spent energy I have let go of. I look forward and see the inhale, the big new deep full breaths I will seek in the days ahead.
Between this exhale and inhale is a quiet place, a space or pause where I need do nothing but BE. Happy New Year, dear friends! May you find great serenity and comfort in the space and pauses between yesterday and tomorrow….in this moment, in the present. Today.
An added bonus for December 1: Look in the night sky, see the moon, Venus and Jupiter in conjunction! So beautiful. Some scholars suggest a similar bright gathering is what created the sense of a Star in the East, in Bethlehem, some 2008 years ago.
bethany,
ReplyDeletei saw that moon and the two stars.. i am so excited to know what it was besides venus..
it is great to know that when u look at the stars others see them too..
god bless and have a safe trip
Thanks for sharing your perspective on the new year and your plans to be with friends and do good work, and the star chart!
ReplyDeleteSam Demas