In the Glow of the Light

Growing up, Christmas was always my favorite time of the year. I loved everything about it from helping my mom decorate the house and tree, to wrapping presents, and unwrapping them on Christmas morning. Every task was joyous surrounded by Christmas music, family, laughter, lights, and food. One tradition we used to have was to all pile in the car with blankets and hot drinks to ride around and look at Christmas lights. We would spend a few hours together marveling at all of the beautiful displays. Each year it was a time of joy and happiness basking in the glow of the light together as a family. As I grew up and had a family of my own though, Christmas and it’s simplistic joy changed. The fun of decorating, shopping, and celebrating with our families just became hectic and exhausting. Don’t get me wrong, there were still beautiful moments like seeing the light in our son’s eyes on Christmas morning and the solemn beauty of the church sanctuary lit in graceful candle light on Christmas Eve. Most of the time though, I just didn’t have the opportunity to slow down enough to see the joy and light of the season any more. I was too busy.

This holiday season began like many others hectic and busy. Between the craziness of our family schedules and illness, the time to enjoy the holiday spirit was more like the blur of a streetlight as you drive past it on the freeway. The other morning though I woke up very early and couldn’t go back to sleep, so I made coffee, turned the lights on the tree on and sat by the fire to enjoy the quiet. It was in that solitude that I was reminded of the beauty of light. Of its warm embrace, of its peace, of the joy that it stirs. I was reminded that sometimes we have to be quiet to find what once was, what is, and what shall be. I was reminded that it is in the glow of the light that we find God because God is the light.

As the light of this holiday season winds down remember that we must keep the joy of His light going on a daily basis to keep the darkness at bay. Keep the truth of love and joy in your heart as the light of a single candle can ignite the heart flames of those around you.

 

May the peace and light of God be with you all in the New Year.

Author: Jennifer Costello, Social Studies Department