Christmas

Sunday Evening Reflection with Christina Rossetti

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“Tread softly! All the earth is holy ground.”

 Christina Rossetti

Every Christmas, I listen to poignant Christmas carol, In the Bleak Mid-Winter, which embraces the poetry of Christina Rossetti.  She entitled her poem, “A Christmas Carol.”

Christina weaves the story of the humble birth in a stable into a call to action to “do our part.”  In a few short lines of poetry, she brings together an eclectic gathering to witness this unforgettable event. Ox, ass and camel, angels, cherubim and seraphim watch over the baby.  And yet, it is the human touch of a mother’s kiss that gives the greatest sense of reverence.

Christina’s gift for poetry was encouraged by the works of those that came before.  She repaid this legacy by inspiring others who came after.   She influenced the writings of Virginia Woolf, Gerard Hopkins, Philip Larkin and Elizabeth Jennings.

Join me for a Sunday Evening Reflection with Christina Rossetti.

In The Bleak Midwinter by Christina Rossetti from Rebecca Budd aka Clanmother on Vimeo.

Between Celebrations

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The week between December 25 and New Year’s Eve is a time of respite. After the excitement generated by the joyful lead-up to Christmas, December 26 signals a time to take a breath, and welcome the coming winter months that entice us with a stack of books and copious amounts of tea.

The streets and stores have quieted, waiting for New Year’s festivities to begin. Even Granville Island has taken on a charming calmness.

Granville Island in December

A colourful day-planner is close at hand, open to January 2019, with Karen Lamb’s call to action, “A year from now you may wish you had started today” on the first page.   Usually, I use my on-line calendar to keep track of my important events and engagements, but this year I decided that the act of writing would add to “living the moments.”    Especially now, that 2019 is the last year of a remarkable decade, to be replaced by 2020.

Granville Island in December

As we await the coming of 2019, may we enjoy these in-between days.  There will be time for busyness.  But for this special time, I am resting up for the adventures and conversations that await us in a New Year.

Happy New Year!

Granville Island – Christmas from Rebecca Budd aka Clanmother on Vimeo.

Labyrinth – A Christmas Celebration

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Christmas Eve has arrived.  The streets are less crowded as people gather in homes to celebrate this special season.  Walking home via the Vancouver Seawall, my husband and I came across a lone artist working with absolute focus on a complex Christmas tree labyrinth of brightly coloured chalk against a large open walkway in Olympic Village.  Without doubt, it is a labour of love, a gift to our community.

The definition of labyrinth is a complicated irregular network of passages or paths in which it is difficult to find one’s way. Walking the maze – I couldn’t resist the challenge – was a reminder that we experience complexity and ambiguity.  Many times, we face crossroads and competing alternatives that shroud the road ahead.  And yet, it is the challenge that makes life interesting, the moments meaningful.  Time passes, new opportunities arise.

As we look forward to 2019, may we embrace the labyrinths that come our way.