23 December 2011

The contradiction of the season...

"'Tis the season to be jolly!" is the main theme of this festive season, and the weather contributes to this. There's something very nice about it being cold; walking through swirls of mist; curling your hands around a mug of hot cocoa or coffee or ginger tea; watching 'christmas' lights; listening to carols in all languages as people of different countries celebrate the birth of Christ; snuggling into woollies; curling up with a hot-water bottle; smelling the special smells of winter and festivity...

"What can I give Him, poor as I am". Because, this is also the time when a great sadness permeates the heart; being far away from loved ones; loss of one more place at the family table, seeing those who are cold and shivering and too poor to do anything about it; the thought that another year is almost over; not being able to do the things one wants to do for whatever reason; the pain of remembering happy times gone by; the specter of the past...