Meditation on holidays and death
How would our Thanksgiving be different if we knew it was our last one all together? Would we have said a longer prayer? Would we have hugged each other even though we live across the field from each other? Would we have gone around the table, saying nice things about each other and how thankful we are to have each other? Would we recount memories of past Thanksgivings, and people we loved who are no longer with us? Would we have spent less time rushing and more time just being together? Would we have been more patient? Would we have cried together? Laughed more? Watched old family movies? Read the Bible? Held hands? The thoughts of it being our last are truly unthinkable with the assumed promise of so many more to come. And yet, startlingly, I have been smacked in the face with the possibility recently that, truly, this one could have been our last. And how should that change how we celebrate? For some, this was their last. Unexpectedly, unwarranted, came death, and stole a part of some families – right here between Thanksgiving and Christmas. How will their Christmas change this year? Will it be overwhelmingly sad or will they find a joy to press on through and live this Christmas in such a way that they will have absolutely no regrets, in case this might also be their last Christmas together. I pray that somehow we will all learn how to live so in the present that when death comes we will have no regrets.