Monday, December 22, 2014

Season’s Greetings



I’m sorry I was missing at the end of last week and didn’t post as I normally do on Thursday.
I have been having a bit of a hard time.
Physically, I haven’t been up to par.
For the newspaper I’ve been covering a lot of court recently, some very hard cases that make me think (for a while only) that there is no goodness in the world.
And I’ve been struggling with my decisions regarding my mother.

Late last week, as I drove back to Altavista from court in Rustburg, I wondered how Christmas and the other holidays this time of year can even occur when there is so much strife and unhappiness and despair in the world.
I still put a Christmas CD on in the car, though. And I heard these words from “Who Comes This Night,” a song written by Sally Stevens and Dave Grusin and sung by James Taylor on his album “James Taylor at Christmas”:

Who sends this song upon the air,
To ease the soul that’s aching?
To still the cry of deep despair
And heal the heart that’s breaking.
-

The light and the hope of the season aren’t just for those happily getting together with family, singing carols, opening presents, and eating big meals together.
The light and the hope are for those who feel lost, those who feel sad, those who are at the point where they feel nothing.
The light and the hope remind us of the good in the world. They are comfort to those who need it.
And we all need comfort sometimes.

May all of you who celebrate a holiday this time of year enjoy the season. And may all of you have joy and peace always.







I’ll be back next Monday, Dec. 29.


16 comments:

  1. I can't imagine having to sit and listen in court- so many evil and hateful things going on in this world. It would be difficult for me to forget all that when I come home. I hope your mom is doing ok. Merry Christmas, Tina!

    ReplyDelete
  2. i can only imagine the horrors you do have to sit through to report on cases. humans can be the worst kind of animals. and the best. :) blessing to you for christmas. i hope you can relax a bit and recharge.

    ReplyDelete
  3. http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=43OQi0KJC8g

    This is one of my favorite Christmas songs. Listen closely, it's not the original lyrics for the tune. May it bring you joy and hope.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Amen and amen. May you have a wonderful Christmas...we need to celebrate our lives because life can be devastating. Let's hold a candle flame to ease the darkness.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Thinking of you Tina, and wishing you peace and contentment in the coming year.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I'm sorry you have been struggling. I hope you have a peaceful and wonderful Christmas with Larry and Chase Bird :-)

    ReplyDelete
  7. Well said. Wishing you a Merry Christmas. I've enjoyed blogging with you this year and hope to continue in the New Year.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Christmas can be a very stressful time for many people. Have a great Christmas!

    ReplyDelete
  9. I'm sorry to hear you're struggling. Thank you for the blessing. I hope you can enjoy your Christmas as well.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Oh Tina that is a very hard job at the best of times to deal with but at this time of year and your own worries about your Mom would make it a tremendous mountain t climb. There are a lot of people just like you going through unimaginable things and I know talking about it or writing about it and sharing that little bit of burden with friends does help. The music does sooth the soul as my Grandma used to say. Merry Christmas Tina this world and its people are mostly good... I believe that. HUGS HUGS B

    ReplyDelete
  11. I hope you find your comfort and joy, Tina. Your words are a wonderful reminder to us all. That was last year's holiday -- a kid on suicide alert in the psych hospital and a massive region-wide power failure. Making merry was tough. But you grab onto the blessings of the year -- the things that matter. (One of them is prominently featured in your photos here!). And you send a prayer of thanks and another one of help and another of Wow. I learned that one from Anne Lamott... I wish you all the best for a Merry Christmas, that your struggles will ease and that you will find your twinkle. I have a feeling you just might.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Tina, that is good in this world. Just you having the courage to blog and open your heart shows that. You do that our of love. We all do that because of love and wanting to make the world a better place.
    The light it there. Don't let the shadows hide it from you.
    Namaste.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Sending you light and hope, now and all through the year.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Wishing you a holiday filled with joy!!

    ReplyDelete
  15. I have been wondering these same things, Tina. These times seem sad, and they are so full of struggle for so many. I found a sense of hope and peace last week, finally. This holiday season that happiness hadn't been there like it had in the past. But I hold on to hope for all. I hope you had a wonderful Christmas! Big hug..

    ReplyDelete
  16. Hope you had a happy holiday, Tina. Thinking of you.

    ReplyDelete

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.