It's my favorite time of year again! The season of Advent, which literally means "coming." During this time, the church is in a state pf preparation to celebrate and observe the birth of Christ. We have weekly rituals which highlight the primary themes of Advent: hope, peace, joy, and love. The candles typically are purple (pink for the candle of joy), or they can be blue to symbolise hope and expectation. The Advent wreath is made of fresh evergreens, which symbolize life in the midst of death (winter). During Advent, we wait.
"Waiting is a period of learning. The longer we wait, the more we hear about him for whom we are waiting." -Henri Nouwen
While Advent is a time of deep peace and reflection for me, I am always keenly aware that this time of year can be extremely painful and lonely for so many. I can admit that there have been years recently where Advent, although hopeful, has been painful for me. With Christmas being advertized as a time of family and gifts and parties, it's hard to find peace when Loss is the primary state of someone's existence.
It is in these reflections on loss and turmoil that I came to the realization that Hope is a discipline. It is a determination, a will of its own. It's like eating a healthy diet and exercising and saving money. Hope is a lifestyle which takes practice and aforethought. It's realizing that life has seasons, which means that spring is bound to come.
"Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness. " -Desmond Tutu
Hope requires an openness of mind which is free to believe that, although one can't see why winter seems to last so long, there is a supreme purpose for everything (yes, I believe this is an absolute truth). The springtime seems short because when its beauty fades, the all-enveloping darkness of winter- and all the death it causes- is overwhelming. The warmth of the sun can barely be felt or remembered.
But this brings me back to the evergreen. There is always life in the midst of death. There is always a sparkle in the midst of darkness. Moreover, and most importantly, the sun always rises at the end of night. The seasons change, the light turns to darkness, the darkness is illuminated with the warmth of the sun.
It takes resolve to see these things.
"There is no chance, no destiny, no fate, that can circumvent or hinder or control the firm resolve of a determined soul." -Ella Wheeler Wilcox
When the darkness lasts for years, it might be useful to remember this: the most beautiful metals are made by being melted down completely. Once the refining process is finished, and all impurities have been removed, all that is left is the pure metal. This is what we want. The process is pain and suffering, but the outcome is beautiful. It's similar to a controlled burn in a forest. This is done to allow new life to flourish.
The process of refinement or a controlled burn is the time when Hope is the most crucial. To me, the season of Advent facilitates a time when this Hope can be practiced through acts of love, kindness, graciousness, and mercy. They say it takes 30 days to form a habit. I think that if people take the month of December and make the focus their mediations on All Things Hopeful, they might have a chance of navigating the next year with a level of peace they have yet to experience.
Abraham Lincoln always said things best: "The best way to predict your future is to create it."
Happy Advent, everyone! I hope you find your peace, your sparkle, your life, and your love.
