Wonder, Love and Light

My friends, family and I hosted our sixth annual community Christmas dinner last Monday. We served more than 175 people who didn’t feel like cooking that day and we gave out food for the next day, too.

Our guests made it a party.

Nobody left hungry.

Three of us spearhead this annual dinner, but so many others make it a reality.

People volunteer to cook, bring food or serve it.

Others decorate the room.

Some accept the least-appreciated and most important duty of cleaning up afterward. One couple washed every single dirty pot, pan, plate and fork.

Others offer to deliver meals to people who can’t get out of their house.

This year, the flu and strep throat dominated a lot of conversations. One family had company from England and they all contracted Covid.

For the past three years, we have delivered a Christmas dinner to a woman who never leaves her apartment. She orders her groceries delivered and her sole form of socializing is talking to her family on the phone. She appreciates a hot meal and a minute of conversation.

Before dinner was served, I said a prayer.

It went like this:

In this time of dark divisiveness, let us celebrate All of us.

In this time of dark suffering, let us appreciate all that we have.

In this time of dark uncertainty, let us find Peace in what we know.

We know Love conquers Hate.

We know we have good in our lives.

We know we are together today.

Let us celebrate this season of Intentional Gratitude.

Let us celebrate the Wonder, the Love and the Light of Christmas.

Let us be the Light. Together.

As I spoke, I realized that really, in truth, this is a resolution for the New Year.

Each of us chooses to either divide into factions or join into one humanity. Strong opinions create factions, but we are even stronger when we unite.

Each of us faces difficult aspects of life -- no doubt about that -- yet each of us can choose to appreciate something good in life.

Celebrating the good doesn’t discount the bad.

Sure, some people I know will need to dig deep because hard things happen, but good is down there.

Sometimes, the unknown feels bad.

Right now, the world is uncertain.

Crazy politics.

Crazy weather.

Crazy quick changes in technology, artificial intelligence and modern math.

They can make a person feel vulnerable and afraid.

So my resolution for 2024 is to fall back on what I know.

I know that being nice to others pays off more often than being mean.

I won’t be a doormat, but I can be assertive nicely.

I know I am fortunate that my kids are alive and healthy.

I know I have people who love me even though I don’t know why. I know I can quit wondering and just accept it.

I know that when the craziness of the world overwhelms me, I can lean into the truths I’ve learned – sometimes the hard way: Make sure my kids are safe, take care of my animals, don’t get hurt and treat people the way I want to be treated.

I know sometimes it is best to say no.

The morning before our community dinner, I ran in the bright moonlight.

Frost sparkled in millions of tiny stars, lighting my path and illuminating all of the good in our world.

Those stars quietly reminded me of what I know.

In 2024, we can resist darkness with what we know – that every sparkling frosty morning brings wonder, love and light – if we listen for it.

We can make the season of gratitude last all year – if we look for it.