Sometimes We Have To Pretend

For your consideration……..

Yesterday I did something I don’t normally do. I turned on the news. I had spent a terrific day with my sister-in-law, Ginger, and Aunt Dorothy. When I returned to my car, I started hearing blips on the radio of an event. Of course, I was as horrified as everyone else at the tragedy in Newtown, Conneticut.

How can such evil happen? We don’t get to know that. So it sits heavy on our hearts and in our heads. It is hard to find HOPE through the sadness, shock, horror, disbelief, what-if’s etc. And we struggle with survivor’s guilt. Our heart breaks for these families but we are so grateful it is not our own.

But remember earlier in the week we were given the message through the story of Pandora’s Box. HOPE laid heavy at the bottom of it. It did not escape.

And HOPE has not escaped now. If it seems buried or illusive, we have to pretend. We pretend to see the world as we wish it to be. And we send out as much positive energy into it as we can muster. We find every ounce of joy we have and share it.We don’t retreat into the darkness of our sadness. We use our light to illuminate it and lessen it.

That is the HOPE. And so it is.

Bit by bit, piece by piece, HOPE by HOPE action steps anyone can take…….

– Meditate. Find the strength of your authentic self. Let it lead you.

-Drink lots of water.

-Eat fruits and vegetables grown as close to home as possible.

-Get outdoors and take in at least 10 deep breaths. Remember breath is your reset button. If you feel sad, take some deep breaths and reset.

-Journal what you are grateful for.

-Send blessings and prayers to those who have passed and those left behind in Newtown, Conneticut.

What made me smile yesterday…….

-Dude had his Christmas grooming and is good to go.

-A day with Ginger.

-Aunt Dorothy is doing MUCH better. She is 97 and a real champ.

-Alex packing up and getting ready for home.

-Mary so crazy about her travels. I had to promise I would text her when I got up. I had to promise her it was ok for her to call me at 7:00 if she had not heard from me. I had to promise to come early.

So with that I will close and head over to pick her and Don up and take them to the airport so they can go see their loved ones. Breath, Dear Ones, breath.

Love, Blessings and Gratitude,

Rev. Chris