Scavenger Hunt for Joy

My birthday was in March. When it came around, my children came up with a wonderful adventure present. They wished to go with me to a museum. It was such a lovely idea and one I was so pleased to realize they had thought of themselves. We had never been to an art museum together, and I do love a good walk through an art museum. Sadly, time got away from us, and we had to put off our plans for another day.

Determined, the children nor I gave up on the idea, and this summer I took some time off to bring our plan to fruition. We planned a special week of activities in Memphis, and one included a trip to the Brooks.

When we arrived on our designated Wednesday morning, we were delighted to find that the entire day was dedicated to children’s exploration of the museum. A special art deco popsicle project had been planned, and a scavenger hunt throughout the museum designed. It was a wonderful, wonderful morning. The scavenger hunt kept the children engaged throughout our entire visit, and we managed to visit every single gallery.

This certainly will be a memory that stays with me, but there is a stand out moment that continues to come back to me quite regularly. After studying an inlaid desk featured in the red gallery and making faces at one another in the concave mirror featured above it, we rounded the corner to the next gallery. Suddenly, I was winded by the sight of the enormous oil painting in our path. Time stopped, my heart raced, my eyes zoomed in to the piece of work, and I had to grab my children by their shoulders to steady myself. Truly in front of us stood a portrait of heaven. There were angels turned towards one another smiling in delight as they all acknowledged a bright light coming from the darkness below. While their heavenly colors were in happy shades of blue, pink, peach, and purple of the sunrise or sunset, they looked through the clouds down towards a pure darkness. What they saw brought them unbounded joy. A great light was breaking through the darkness and reaching towards heaven. “Aha,” they seemed to say, “See there she is…there he is…breaking through the darkness and shedding light in the world. We knew she could. We knew he could. How wonderful. How wonderful indeed.”

My children were ready to go on to the next scavenger hunt item and didn’t recognize my pause. Once words could come to me though I managed to hold my babies close and say, “Oh, look children, isn’t it beautiful. Someone has captured the joy of heaven when we share love and light in the world.” I gazed lovingly at the painting, and my children humored me. Then we were off again.

Love bursts of light in our hearts are powerful but can seem fleeting as well as daunting to act upon. It is hard to stay in that moment for long, but the love lingers. The light reminds us, it is more powerful than darkness and needs only be turned on or shown the way. 

This painting, this moment still shines a path for me through the darkness. May it be the love and light you need today, too.

With love and light,

LT

Light Over Darkness

Just when you think times can’t get darker, in comes the season of light. When your mind has turned all night, the sun begins to rise. It’s another day. You don’t know what direction to turn and suddenly a kind word of wisdom points the way.

Today marked the first day of Advent leading to the celebration of Christmas. Candles were lit around the world encouraging thoughtful and prayerful opening of hearts and minds to the way that love can change the world. I can’t think of better timing!

I certainly could use Advent and its wonderful time for reflection and preparation and its powerful reminders of comfort and joy to be found in the story of a child born in a manger and his short time among us on Earth.

Jesus said, “There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on the earth distress among nations confused by the roaring of the sea and the waves. People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in a cloud’ with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”  (Luke 21:25-28)

What a lovely invitation continues to be extended to us year after year. We may have to wait for Christmas Day, but we never have to wait for its gift to us. We don’t have to wait for a special day, for a year, for an hour or even another minute. We just have to be willing to accept the invitation for a better life, a life of light.

“Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility...” (From A Collect for the First Sunday of Advent, Book of Common Prayer, pg. 211)

Take comfort in the fact that darkness, no matter how dark it may be, will never win against the light. Take it into your heart and feel its strength and share it with others. With light and love you can change your world and the world of others for better.  

As we enter Advent, I am reminded of the other wonderful celebrations of light from around the world, especially our Hindu friends who just celebrated Diwali. A wonderful five-day festival, Diwali celebrates the victory of good over evil, knowledge over ignorance and light over darkness. Our Jewish friends celebration of Hanukkah begins soon as well, reminding us that there will always be enough oil to light the sacred lamp.

We have everything we need, my friends. Take a look at what may be keeping you in the dark and do what you need to do to let the light show you the way. Listen to those loving words of kindness from friends and family. Find the support of community. Read, pray, meditate, exercise, rest. Take time for yourself and do more for others. Make room for the light; it will give you life.

With love and light,

LT

I Lit a Candle for You Today

I lit a candle for you today. You had been on my mind and in my heart for some time. I’ve been praying for you for days, for weeks, for months and years.

Today was a little different though and a lot the same, too. I walked toward the candles and knew that today was the day to light one for you. I knew exactly which candle to light. It was in the middle surrounded by both lit and unlit candles. I picked a used match to start the flame because I wanted it to carry the prayers and strength of others as well.

It took the candle some time to ignite. The match was getting shorter and shorter. Eventually at the same time the votive took flame the dark part of the match fell into the melted wax. The flame immediately took on the added strength of the burning wood. I was struck by the thought that although the darkness of the match seemed to be marring the serene white of the candle, it instead reminded me of how brightly light shines in the darkness.

Even in the darkest moments of our lives, light has the ability to shine even brighter.

I smiled hoping that you would also realize this.

I drove home in the gray and rain of today thinking about how this darkness and dampness would lead to the beauty of spring and new life. I thought about the great decisions you are making that are opening up opportunities for light and new life to spring abundantly in you as well.

I lit a candle for you today, dear one, but you should know the light was already there, blazing brightly for you. I hope you, too, light a candle for yourself sometime soon, and...

I love you. I love you. I love you.

With love and light,
LT

Please don’t squash my happy!

So, here’s the deal. I can go to the really, really dark places, or let me say, I have been to the really, really dark places. Those dark times were like being trapped and having no concept (or really even desire) of how to get out. But, it’s funny how light works. It always finds a way of shining through the darkness. We just have to open ourselves up to seeing it.

I’m thankful that during those dark and yucky times love kept blinking at me, and I eventually started to let it shine bright enough that I didn’t see the darkness anymore. I started to let the light in by…

• Accepting the love and commitment of my family and friends
• Completing simple projects that helped me realize my self confidence
• Having the courage to accept the help of nurturing and challenging counselors and taking their recommended medication
• Standing up for myself against naysayers
• Letting go of pain causers and throwing away bad memory triggers
• Taking an interest in my appearance and health
• Creating positive new friendships and re-establishing important friendships
• Admitting that life could be a whole lot worse and that I didn’t want it to be
• Loving and caring for my angel dog and having fun playing
• Realizing I wanted more
• Enjoying my gifts, talents and interests
• Deepening my faith through study, prayer and small-group community
• Finding a vocation that fulfills my need to make meaningful and effective contributions to help others

Once I set my determination towards moving away from those tough times with lessons and strength gathered through these experiences, there was some back and forth. Fortunately, as the days and years ticked by, I started to get a stronger sense of moving forward rather than backward. I made the conscious choice to work hard not to let the darkness dampen that light again.

I strive to be a positive, happy and loving person, but I’ll admit to you sometimes it’s hard to stay consistent. Angry and loud voices, violence, the feeling of constraint or being ignored, negativity and disrespect, especially in repetition towards me or others, can make it difficult to keep my happy. But dang it, I say, “DON’T SQUASH MY HAPPY!”

I love making my children happy and hearing my husband laugh. I love finding beauty in nature, art, music and in the kindness of others. I love good stories and happy movies. I love birthdays and reasons to celebrate. I love a great conversation and good times spent with family and friends. My ability to focus on these positives is what I think draws my family and friends toward me and strengthens my support network.  

I have to remind myself of what's really important and those lessons I learned getting myself out of the dark in the first place. So, I say, “DON’T SQUASH MY HAPPY!” and please, don’t let others squash yours. There’s always a way out of the darkness. Remember that light is blinking at you. Try to stay focused on it. It takes help, but you can do it. Realizing the YOU part is important.

With love and light,
LT

Red Sox Win! Lighting Up the Darkness

Boston is celebrating today after last night’s win of the World Series, and I am glad. I am glad that even after a great shared sadness like we experienced with Boston last spring, hope and celebration continue to shine out and remind people that we can overcome the ugliness that the world sometimes brings.

Only a short time after the twin towers were hit on 9/11, I found myself crammed into an office with my boss and two priests collaboratively writing a response and prayer about the tragedy that we were only just beginning to experience. It was my second day on the job.

With the Red Sox win last night, I was reminded of my later response to the Boston Marathon tragedy. As the commentators at the game referenced the Boston bombing, I recalled my reflection and prayer that shortly followed.

It’s hard to sleep some nights when you know the world is aching around you. I imagine God is aching, too. God is aching that his lost child could harm so cruelly, to hurt, to maim, to hatefully lash out.

Gods’ great love embraces and surrounds those wounded. The heart of hearts is swelling with power and greatness and rising up above the evil performed.

Life has been lost. But we are still living. We are sad, but on this dark night, the crickets are still singing.  We must raise our voices in song as well. Our numbers will swell. Our sound will ring out. We will drive out the darkness. We will overcome the hateful with our love. We will live. We will live. We will live.

My friends, unfortunately, in this world we live in, bad things do happen. But even on the darkest of days, the sun sets and the sun rises again. There is always light in the darkness.

Consider the power of the sun, that swirling mass that lights up our sky and illuminates the moon in the night.  Isn’t it a comfort in itself? The sun is just a star. The moon is just a rock, but God is all light, and God is all love. Now, imagine that power in your life. It is with you even on your darkest days.

With love and light,

LT