The holiday season is officially upon us. Thanksgiving is over and the decorations of snowmen and Santa are up. In the darkness, there are lights shining; just take a look down Bloomfield Avenue and you can see it. Not just the lights from the wreaths that the town has put up, but lights everywhere. In the stores and in restaurants there are lights. Drive around town and see how many neighbors have already put up their lights. It is warm and inviting.
Sunday, November 27 marks the beginning of the Christian calendar. The anticipation of Christmas begins to build. In many denominations, the first Sunday in Advent is when the candle of Hope is lit.
Hope is what we ALL need right now. I think we probably all agree that 2016 has been less than a stellar year. There has been loss; there has been pain; and there has been frustration. No matter what your religion (or lack of thereof), this is a time when we NEED hope. We need to embrace hope and let the negativity of the past fall away.
No matter how difficult or bad this year has been for us, there is always hope. Each sunrise brings us the promise of a new day and no day is the same. (Although it may seem like that to some.) Every day is filled with new promise. Every day can be filled with hope, with the anticipation that something new and wonderful can come to fruition. It might not be a big desire or gigantic goal; it can be quiet and small; like the hope that the coffee will be fresh in the office pot.
Embrace hope! Be hopeful and offer hope to those around you this holiday season. A smile, a greeting; simple gestures can bring hope to those who might need it more than you could imagine.
