By Lori Carmody
There is a
saying, “Do it with passion or not at all!”
Done. For two full weeks and
counting I have passionately been
achy, congested, running a temperature, coughing and I have been down and
out.
I got sick on
Thanksgiving. Every year since my
children were old enough, after Thanksgiving dinner was finished and everyone
was on their way home, our family would hunker down with the fire lit and watch
the comedy, Christmas Vacation. This
year I slept through most of the movie.
Then on Saturday evening, before the kids headed out of town, we planned
dinner out and to take in Snowflake Lane.
I barely survived dinner and had to pass on seeing the snowflakes.
Being the
traditionalist that I am, it made me sad to miss out on these usual
festivities. As I laid in bed after they
left on Sunday, I got to thinking of years past. So many wonderful memories of our family, grandparents,
and others lingered in my mind and on my heart.
In the
Exercises of St. Ignatius, he encourages us to regularly notice the grace given
to us by God. For years I have taken
this advice and intentionally taken stalk of what “consolations” came my way each day (what I was most grateful for; what had given me joy, peace, contentment
that day). Now, as I was reminded of
years gone by and the sweet memories of many consolations that had been given to me during Advent, I realized
that although I wasn’t able to partake in activities this past week, I had many
graces to savor.
One of the
treasures that rose in my heart from years gone by came from 1999. My mom had taken a tragic fall suffering head
wounds and multiple strokes. At the time
she was living at Providence Mount Saint Vincent Nursing Home. The following is a portion of what I wrote
in our Christmas letter that year.
“On the 9th
of December, “5 South” (the nursing home floor where Lori’s Mom lives) was
having their annual “trim the tree” gathering.
Kaitlyn and Lori spent the evening with Mom Zirkle. Kaitie charmed all the residents with her
excitement over hanging ornaments, eating cookies and candy canes, and dancing
to LOUD Christmas carols (so the residents who are hard of hearing could
hear). One woman that we have seen over
the past several months was smiling with Kaitie …we’d never seen her smile
before. A few other folks turned down
encouragement by the Activities Director to decorate the tree; that is until
Kaitlyn gave them an ornament to hang and walked them over to show them where
to place it. After the tree was
decorated, the residents gathered around for a group picture and, of course,
they wanted Kaitlyn in it. Then we put
on jammies – a new nightie with little Christmas snowmen all over it – and you
should have heard the rounds of ohh’s and ahh’s as she twirled and danced for
all to see.
Luke 1:26-36 tells us
about a virgin having a child, Jesus, the redeemer. It really makes no sense that this was God’s
answer to a suffering, needy world. No
sense, that is, until we remember what another child did a few weeks ago for a
suffering, needy nursing home floor.
Then we begin to understand that a child was God’s only answer to save
the world … and it was a dancing, smiling, including, feasting, grand answer at
that! "
When I followed
the sage advice of St. Ignatius and savored
this memory, I was deeply consoled. It brought back feelings of the joy that I
experienced that evening in 5 South. It
also reminded me that I was not alone.
God had walked with me and my family during that time of deep desolation as we watched our mother
suffer.
On this particular Sunday
when I was tempted to feel sad for what I had missed out on over the
Thanksgiving weekend, I again discovered that God meets me wherever I am at and
shows me how to “dance, smile, include, feast and to love”.
So think about
it ~ despite the goodness and/or frustrations of your day ~ what memories of
the past can you rest in today that may console
you of truth, of hope and of God’s profound and sustaining
love?
When the cares of my heart are many,
your consolations delight my
soul. Psalm 94:19
Thanks for
reading.
Lori
