Advent is upon us and I find myself ‘too busy’ to contemplate its arrival.
As I got the house ready for the market, I moved all our Christmas decorations into the storage pod in our driveway. Now, with the closing of the sale on this house imminent and the movers arriving next Tuesday to pack up our belongings and move them into storage until we complete the renovations on our new home, I will not be pulling out the decorations this year.
And I breathe.
The Advent season isn’t about the decorations or the sparkle and glitter of tinsel and bows. It’s about preparation. About quieting my restless mind and body. About breathing into the anticipation of new beginnings, new birth, new life.
And I breathe.
The calendar days will turn. Houses will be trimmed in holiday glitter and carols will be sung — whether I put up a tree, or decorate the mantle, the season isn’t about what I put out to recognize its presence. It’s about what I do to welcome this sacred time into my heart and life.
Below is a piece I wrote for a course I created a couple of years ago called, Make Time for the Sacred. It is a four week meditative journey through Advent. If you would like to join in this contemplative thoughtfulness of Advent, please click HERE. Over the next weeks, I will be working through the course material to reawaken Advent in my world.
Advent Journey. Week 1
Whether waiting for the birth of the Sun or the Son of God, advent is a time of waiting. Of
anticipation, of preparation for the coming of the light that will radiate around the world and
awaken the promise of life to come.
Today, I wait in the quiet of dawn suspended behind the darkness of night. Snow blankets the
world outside my window. I wait.
He is coming, they sing. His birth heralded around the world by shepherds watching and three
Kings drawing near. Angels we have heard on high.
He is coming.
And the world waits. It waits for a child to be born of Mary. A child for whom good tidings will
ring across the land. Hail Mary full of grace. Your time draws near.
Draw near. Draw nearer my heart and let its beat call you into this song of hope. Sing loud this
song of peace for all mankind.
Sing loud. Rejoice. Rejoice O Israel. To thee shall come Emmanuel.
Come. Come into my heart and let joy to the world resound with every breath. Let joy become
me.
Joy to the world. He is coming.
Let us rejoice.
Believer or non-believer, Christian, Buddhist, Jew, Muslim. No matter our faith, let us rejoice in
this prayer for hope, peace, love and joy in our world.
Let peace become us. Let there be peace among us. Let there be peace.
Dare Boldly 
Globally, peace and harmony seem to be that elusive goal that mankind continually strives towards. Personally, we all have our own level of peace and harmony. We know how to deal with it, we know how to find it. At this joyous time of the year, we tend to seek yet another level of peace that we can share with others. For some it may be a simple gesture, for others a bit more complicated. You are so right that Advent, as the lead-in to Christmas is not about the glitter and glam of decorations, music and gifts. It is about peace, harmony and time for self-reflection. Time to be with family and friends. Time to be thankful for what we have. Time to contemplate on how to assist those less fortunate. Time to realize that as long as mankind is carrying on a dialogue, then there is hope that the elusive peace and harmony may actually become a reality, somewhere, sometime.
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Oh Iwona, you gave me chills when I read this — “Time to realize that as long as mankind is carrying on a dialogue, then there is hope that the elusive peace and harmony may actually become a reality, somewhere, sometime.”
So powerful and true. Thank you my friend for bringing light, love, peace and harmony into my world 3,000 miles from you.
Much love to you and M. ❤
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Yes to all of the Advent preparation + waiting! It is a season that I deeply love, and deeply try to honor by slowing down just when everything in life starts to speed up. I may not always accomplish what I want, but long, dark Advent days definitely help me to be mindful and aware. Hugs to you, dear Louise. xoxo
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I love the theme of this season you presented on your blog Liz — Presence. So beautiful. Affirming. Necessary. Your photographs always bring me a sense of peace. Thank you for sharing the way you do so that I too can remember to be aware and slow down. ❤
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Such an important message that more people need to take notice of
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Thank you Joanne — if you and I and just a few others share it, again and again, we will create a ripple that covers the world! Already we’re connected from Canada to Australia! ❤
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