Something for the Journey
Carol Thomas Cissel, Treasurer UUMA Board of Trustees
The weeks between Thanksgiving and the end of the calendar year have a magical hold on me. I find myself indulging in festive foods and rich drinks that tantalize my taste buds, even though the rest of my body often protests. I love curling up in bed with the windows cracked open, letting the crisp winter air dance across my cheeks. Yes, I do love a fluffy comforter and a cold nose. I indulge in the comforting ritual of re-watching beloved holiday classics, like Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas, The Year Without a Santa Claus, and the hilarious, heartwarming Elf. This time of year, with its nostalgia and warmth, brings me such joy. For me, on so many levels, it’s really the best part of the year.
But that layer of holiday sweetness does not mean this part of the year is always perfect or entirely pain-free. Friends, I’ve had terrible things happen during these weeks, too. Several years ago, I lost a son and a husband in the days that surround Thanksgiving. Last year, I had major foot surgery and was laid up from the week after Thanksgiving until early March. I know that you have suffered through natural disasters (floods, wildfires, tsunamis, earthquakes); man-made terror (war, shootings, and kidnappings), and felt your family’s pains and sadness at this time of year, too. We, ministers, perhaps know better than most that bad things happen to very good people as the year draws to a close.
For us, this time of year holds JOY, but also a poignancy and tenderness, because we live in the space between. The aching space between Hurt and Harm. The resilient space between Hope and Joy. The loving space between Care and Compassion. The hard space between Truth and Justice. On Sunday, my congregation, like many of yours, embraced the temporary madness and beauty of the Holiday Children’s Pageant, while delicately holding the tragic shooting at Brown University, the antisemitic violence half a world away on Bondi Beach in Australia, alongside the murders of Rob and Michele Reiner in California.
Our lives exist in the space between.
As you navigate the coming days, managing the complexities of this season while focusing on the needs of those around you, it will be easy to neglect your own self-care. You might find yourself skipping meals or writing late into the night. Instead, prioritize your well-being as caregivers. Consider taking a power nap instead of pushing through on the jolt from a cup of coffee or a Coke Zero. Make time for the outdoors, and stroll, meander, or roll in the fresh air. I am a nibbler … a grazer … and have trouble skipping past the gifts of cookies, candies, and homemade delights lining the counter in the office at UUCA. Carrying sweet clementines and Pink Lady apples in my pockets has helped. You must remember to take care of yourself.
Also, take time to do things that nourish your spirit so you are refilled and ready to nurture and support others. Light a candle, say a prayer, or watch Jimmy Stewart search for Zu Zu’s petals. Allow the laughter and tears of this magical, and often painful, time of year to wash over you. Embrace this powerful truth: you are loved and needed more than you may ever realize. Please remember that the entire UUMA Board and I are sending you Strength for the Journey we Travel Together, along with Blessings as you enter the New Year.
