Ordinary Angels

The angels in the Nativity story who call out to the shepherds are beings of glory from on high who must tell the shepherds to “Be not afraid.” But our day to day world is full of much less impressive angels, ordinary people or animals or places who somehow manage to be messengers of the divine, who through their words or actions or simply by their presence bring us “tidings of great joy,” even if the message is as simple as the fact that our coffee is ready.

Who appears as an angel to you, bringing a message of joy?

The Holly and the Ivy

“The Holly and the Ivy” is a traditional English Christmas carol, but the symbolism of those two plants goes back even further, as they are Pagan fertility symbols. In the midst of the winter we celebrate with evergreens, finding promise of continuing life in those plants that remain green when so many others are dormant.

What in your life feels dormant, gone into hiding? What feels like it will always be green?

Niagra Falls

“Is it beyond thee to be glad with the gladness of this rhythm? To be tossed and lost and broken in the whirl of this fearful joy?” writes the poet Rabindranath Tagore. And many of us answer, “Yes, it is beyond me.” The rush of the holiday season can feel like going over Niagra Falls in a barrel, out of control and battered by forces pushing at us from all sides.

How will you find a moment today to simply rest and float?