How are this year’s holidays different for you?
Nearing the end of
a calendar year, the inevitable lists come out: best movies of 2020, most memorable
images of 2020, most memorable people of 2020, and so on.
What is certain is
that this year had such momentous events, those who survived them can attest
that the year
twenty-twenty was different.
I am recalling a
certain week at the end of August, where a record heat combined with freak dry lightning
caused fifteen hundred wild fires in northern California alone. The air was
seriously unhealthy, in addition to the masks we wore for a pandemic that had
kept us sheltering in place for over five months. Between the pandemic and the
fires, family members lost their homes and jobs.
Then, in just one
week (that same end of August) both Facebook, Blogger and my website host— decided
they were done with their old formats and forced a conversion to a new one. The
latter seems so trivial compare the existential challenges all around. But the
confluence of the *all of it* nearly
broke this camel’s back. It’s hard to try to build a website and adjust to new
screens (when most of life has moved to screens) as you literally can’t take a
deep breath.
And just then, I
had one of those illuminations: I realized I and most around me were more alive
than we’d been. As the mounting challenges pressed, we were awakened. From then
on, days felt blessed rather than cursed.
I hope the coming
holidays are the same for you. When listing the year’s personal highlights, may
you see how very blessed the year twenty-twenty has been.
©Silent Night
by Shelagh Duffett
(Passed away
June 24th 2020)
5 comments:
It doesn't feel like Christmas is just days away. I'm hoping that changes soon. This year will be very different. It's tough not getting to have big family gatherings. I just pray that 2021 will be better.
Thank you. It's definitely been a challenge, but I do think good can and will come from all we've learned. I certainly hope so. Happy New Year!
I feel for you all in California--you've been hit especially hard. I kept thinking you could've used one of those hurricanes in the Gulf to douse the fires.
Always, so many blessings even in the midst of difficulties. I firmly believe our Mighty God is in control, that nothing happens without His knowledge, that His goodness will prevail.
Such a lovely post, dear Mirka. It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas. Folks are getting the vaccine, and more of us will get it after the first of the year. Cookies are on the table. A turkey is thawing in the refrigerator.
Love,
Janie
I appreciated your post, dear Mirka. For me, the year has reminded me anew that I am truly blessed to have wonderful friends and family to see me through the hard times and an awesome God who is always there for us with steadfast love no matter what we face.
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