Sure is a crummy holiday season. It is isn't it? Blech.
This is an actual text exchange with my Mom. My brother and I (mostly my brother, because he is thoughtful and responsible) just had a talk with my Mom about not coming to visit for Christmas. “This is a hard pill to swallow,” she said. I can’t disagree. I grew up in a military family then made my own military family, so being together at Christmas was very, very important – it usually was the only chance we got to see extended family. I think I can count on one hand the Christmases I was not with my family (2? And one of those I was in Iraq!). Since both my brother and my husband’s brother live in the area, Christmases lately have involved everyone all at once – some years we’ve had 18 for Christmas dinner.
I think back now to the stress of balancing all of those people between houses, the chaos in the kitchen, the stacks and stacks of dirty dishes. The figuring out where everyone would sleep, what kinds of preferred foods and drinks to lay-in in advance, and searching for meaningful things to do outside of the house that would appeal to kids and grandparents alike. The shepherding of everyone into and out of cars, getting everyone to St. John’s early enough for those that were acolyte, crucifer, or usher on Christmas Eve. I once rushed my kids to the 7:30 Christmas Eve service only to realize I had signed them up to be acolyte and crucifer for the 10:00 service! Oops. Even so, I wish I had appreciated it a bit more, and maybe pushed away my exasperation.
Because this year, I’ll get what I’ve sometimes longed for – a very quiet Christmas. But this is not the way I wanted it to happen! All weird and distant and online. But maybe there is a greater lesson here (there always is, isn’t there?). That really, truly, what is to be celebrated is the birth of the Christ child. And all the rest, the good times with family, even though it means lots of hub bub, is an extra gift. And, thankfully, we will get it all back soon.
So, I will strive to be like Mary, who “treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.”
Merry Christmas!
Yours in Service, Elisabeth