A couple of years ago or more, I gathered a little grove of sentences together in my notes app on my phone. The sentences had grown from experiences that sprouted words, and eventually became a little poem I posted on Instagram for Christmas.
I couldn’t stop thinking about the lonely, the ones who feel lost, and the ones whose hearts feel cracked and cavernous beyond quenching and repair. That’s usually who I’m thinking about, if I’m honest.
It’s hard to find joy when you feel like that and the commercialization of the season adds it’s own excessive amount of pressure to produce it. On top of that, many of us also feel the sly expectation and assumption of triumphalism bearing down on our spiritual experience. It can be hard to separate that toxic, cultural baggage from what we’ve been actually been given to receive as beloved followers and image bearers of Jesus, this season and every season.
I re-shared the poem last week, feeling at once defeated that my own words still resonate with my melancholy heart again this year, like the one before, and the the one before that, and also determined to cast my net of words out into the deep sea so that anyone else who feels that way might know they aren’t alone in those feelings.
Christmas is for you.
After I re-shared the poem, so many of you responded with messages about what you are going through. I’m honored to hold a tiny piece of knowing the stories you carry this season and for so many of you, the stories you’ve carried for season upon season.
Thank you for sharing them with me.
As I posted on Instagram this morning:
May we find courage and comfort in our communal remembering as we wait.
May we feel the wonderful weight of Jesus with us in every way this advent, this Christmas, this coming new year.
I made this wall paper graphic of the poem for you. Keep it as a comfort and reminder as needed this season. And share it with anyone else who needs it. May we carry each other with whatever we’ve been given to do so.
Grateful, shalomsick, and waiting with you,
~no words~ 🥺😢💔🙏🏻🕯🕊🤍
Feeling held by these words and the poem. Thank you for creating the space to be who we are and that even when things are hard, Christmas is for us.