Reflection?

well here it is the feast of stephen and i find myself wondering what just happened. with so many events and parties and preparation leading up to Christmas it seems like just a blur. then, as i drove to work this morning passing scores of workers at a new apartment complex being built i thought... has any one, have i taken any time at all to reflect on this season, what it meant and means? here everyone is already back to their everyday lives of repetitive motions and what is there to show for all the commotion of the past few days? debt, exhaustion, guilt, kind words and deeds left unsaid and undone, family tensions, &c. did anyone have a truly 'silent, holy night'? was anyone sleeping in 'heavenly peace'? was i? was my family? were you?

Christmas eve C and i caught a bit of a show on pbs about Christmas traditions around the world. we watched as large families gathered and children got candy and not much else. Christmas night we watched some old family videos of Christmas' past, of J and i opening candy and coloring books and being overjoyed. simple pleasures... family, fires, sledding (of course there's not much chance of that here), and hot chocolate. maybe i just miss my innocent youthful days, maybe i am afraid W's youth will not be so innocent with the simplest of toys these days coming complete with 'flashing lights' & 'realistic sounds' & everyone jockeying for position as 'giver of the gift W likes the most'. not that i'm ungrateful. he got many wonderful things that he will enjoy for a long time.

it just feels like something is missing. simple things like family, friends, true joy, peace, and thanksgiving to the giver of all good gifts. maybe that's why someone saw fit to establish epiphany... after all the noise and lights another chance to reflect and remember and be thankful for life itself. may the 12th day of Christmas find us all embracing the Light of the World, the Light of Men.