Just a few words this day…
As the decorations are dismantled and all hung with care keeps coming down, my thoughts turn to the reality after Christmas.
I paused the other evening, as I, too, sat seemingly amidst a sea of crumpled wrapping paper and contented kids, hearing that iconic pop singer, George Michael, passed away. As choruses of “Freedom” and “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go” quickly danced in my head, I was again reminded of reality.
Immediately, many lamented the challenges and pain of the year behind…
… the deaths… division… and undesired outcomes…
All of the above existed in 2015. They will be again exist in 2017.
But depending on who are the deaths, where is the division, and what are the undesired outcomes, the reality affects different people to different degrees. Reality affects us differently.
And so I immediately think back to the bells heard on Christmas Day… the messages of hope, proclamations of peace, and the depth of a great, great joy.
What is beautiful about that hope, peace, and joy is that it lasts for far more than a day; it’s available more than a single day each year; and it has the power and potential to transcend the pain within any of our realities.
As the Intramuralist continues to reflect on the end of the year, we wish you great blessing… including that hope, peace, and joy… always…
Respectfully…
AR