Christmas proper is a mixed bag – the celebration that is, not the sacred truth (although maybe what I really mean then is, Christmas improper!). We work hard to hold what’s special about it: love shared, gifts of meaning exchanged, feasts shared to welcome others to the table of communion. But, for many, and for many reasons loss, loneliness and heartache surface at this time too. Maybe they surface precisely at this time because the contrast is so strong. Or maybe we know the sacred truth is strong enough to hold them – so we allow them to surface.

I’ve never hidden that the Christmas season has been a difficult time for our family. We’ve practised holding it as well as we can for 20 years now, but it remains tricky, even when I’m not expecting it. Maybe it’s that way for you too? Christmas, as a sacred truth is about Jesus, God With Us and I’m thinking this morning that’s enough for whatever Christmas brings, and brought this year around tables of celebration.

Merry Christmas to you all,
Laurel

I know
 
The days surrounding Christmas
are still surprisingly difficult
as people scatter and disappear
down family burrows.
There is no resistance then
for our counterflow life,
so we lose our footing – drift
out of safe routines, leaving
too much time to think.
 
The bandages are gone.
There are no open wounds anymore,
only scars and a lingering ache
that flares in bad weather,
or for no reason at all.
We walk funny
and are surprised to find
we’re still self-conscious about it.
 
Is this all the healing we’re afforded?
Is this healing, or just clumsy triage
we’ve fumbled through
during the long crisis?
 
Self-pity says we were alone,
are alone, but we’re not,
I know.  Your presence
is as close as this acute loneliness.
You still lead us – The Limping
and place stigmata in our scars.
 
Christmas 2019
© 2019 Laurel Archer