I was destined to love Christmas. With the name “Joy,” how could I not? For so much of my life, I believed that the reason I loved Christmas was some delicate balance of gifts and decor, and the wide variety of sweet treats, but as an adult, I see there’s so much more.
While I still love all the quintessential things that bring “joy” to Christmas, those aren’t the things that stick out to me the most. In fact, as somber as it sounds, I would say it’s the darkness the Christmas season brings that inspires me.
Yes, I admit I’m an optimistic person. I have always leaned a bit toward the happier side of things and drowned out the bad, but that doesn’t mean that I ignore the sorrow that can come.
Let me help paint a picture of what I mean: Every year, my favorite church service is held on Christmas Eve. It’s a simple service – usually the reading of the Christmas story, some carols, maybe a shorter message. I’ve been to several services at different churches over the years, and they all hold a special place in my heart, but one sticks out to me. It’s a service that is held in the evening and starts with all the lights on. Bright and cheery as everyone greets each other in their Christmas best and small gifts are exchanged between friends. As the service begins, the lights slowly dim with each hymn sung. It takes about an hour to read the Christmas story and sing, but an hour after it starts, the only lights on are the candles on the altar. It’s this darkness that is where I truly feel Christmas.
It’s the darkness that binds us. At different times in our lives, we all feel the light. We know the feeling of happiness. We know joy and it’s easy to think positively when the world we are in is bright, but the darkness is when we lean on each other. The darkness is where we find a hand to hold onto or a light to guide us out, and it’s this darkness that we all experience but can’t escape on our own that we can all relate to.
The next phase of the church service is to each hold a candle. The candles on the altar are used to light the candles we each hold, as the light is passed down the pews. The congregation sings "Silent Night" and the candle each person holds lights the way out of the darkness by illuminating each of our neighbors' faces.
I now realize that I don’t love Christmas just because my name is Joy, but because I need the constant reminder to remember to rejoice and to be a light for others in those times of darkness.
This Christmas season, I encourage you to admire the lights. Remember to be one in the coming year and to strive to be the light that guides your neighbor. When the lights are gone in January, may you remember to shine in their absence, and to rejoice in the season that has passed as you prepare for a prosperous and blessed new year.
Merry Christmas!
