Whatever more his birth story means, it means an end to any estrangement between the Divine Above and the Divine Below. The light goes both ways. Heaven and nature sing.
This is the best Christmas message. Thank you. Such a wonderful way to express Christmas Eve. As an old woman who lives in the woods, I experience the Beloved in the humus and detritus underfoot, dappled and lit through bare branches. The fragrance of leaf decay is so close to the musk of birth. The winter sky is filled with stars. It is all the Christ Beloved.
My husband and I (in our 60s) own a remote place in the woods where spend one week of every month and some holidays. The last few years we’ve spent Christmas alone here because our son is a church musician and is never available on church holidays. He and his family are on their way here today to koi us for a few days. Yesterday (Christmas) was gloriously quiet and low-key. It’s all I want now and I think I would live here if I could. I know more about God here than I’ve ever known in any church.
Barbara’s comment, “… carrying the massive cultural weight of the holiday” resonates deeply with me. I did that for and with family for so many years (although we were more low-key than most people we knew). I’m tired, and sadly tired of the weight and expectations associated with ALL holidays, religious and otherwise. The culture has become so highly energized toward buying, gifting, having fun, and loving everything about every holiday from Christmas to July 4th to Halloween and all the rest. I can’t and don’t want to keep up. Even at “home” in our relatively small village, we’ve learned to live simple and to be present to the little things.
The Creator is present every if only we will notice. Sometimes it can be hard to notice.
Years ago, I prayed for a more 'mystical' experience with God. I wanted deeper insight than all the surface religious platitudes. His answer was not in some imagined mystical ecstasy, but to look down at all that was going on from the soil to the hawks. He turned me into an ecology writer. My days are filled with fascination of all that is interconnected with this dumbfounding ground we live on. Thank you for permission to 'look down' to see the light. Happy Christmas.
I resonate deeply with this line: “carrying the massive cultural weight of the holiday.” Never know quite what to do with it. And then a favorite wrier helps ease the burden. Thank you for this lovely, heartfelt piece.
Barbara, I love everything you write! You are one of my top, if not the top author that I go to. I feel like our hearts are connected. And you are able to put into words my feelings. Thank you for sharing your gift.❤️
I was so looking forward to reading your post today, and like all your writing, it always resonates and inspires! Thank you for this Christmas Eve gift…Merry Christmas!
Beautiful, Barbara....Thank you for this powerful reframe to look down, and find the light we yearn for. Also, Christmas alone with the pine tree sounds lovely. :) On the theme of Christmas tide and Epiphany, I must tell you that "Home by Another Way" always sits in a prominent spot for our kids to grab each December. It is a true favorite. Love and blessings and a strong hug...
Beautiful writing, as always. The incarnation of God into a human being as captured in the word “Emmanuel” is my favorite thing to contemplate at Christmas too. Jesus showed us that the divine and the human CAN and DO mix. The spiritual is inside of the material! What a wonderful, meaningful message.
Thank you for such a simple and profound essay and a nod to the complexities around the holidays many of us feel. I now have a deeper meaning to “and heaven and nature sing.” “The light goes both ways.”
I’ve always loved your writing and your heart, ever since All Saints! Having been fortunate enough to live on a farm for almost 40 years, you resonate so deeply in my own heart. Thank you for all your gifts.
Barbara, I am longtime fan of your writing and speaking. You are so gifted, and the sharing of your gifts, including, most recently, this morning’s Christmas Eve reflection, has been an enormous blessing to me. Thank you, friend.
This is the best Christmas message. Thank you. Such a wonderful way to express Christmas Eve. As an old woman who lives in the woods, I experience the Beloved in the humus and detritus underfoot, dappled and lit through bare branches. The fragrance of leaf decay is so close to the musk of birth. The winter sky is filled with stars. It is all the Christ Beloved.
My husband and I (in our 60s) own a remote place in the woods where spend one week of every month and some holidays. The last few years we’ve spent Christmas alone here because our son is a church musician and is never available on church holidays. He and his family are on their way here today to koi us for a few days. Yesterday (Christmas) was gloriously quiet and low-key. It’s all I want now and I think I would live here if I could. I know more about God here than I’ve ever known in any church.
Barbara’s comment, “… carrying the massive cultural weight of the holiday” resonates deeply with me. I did that for and with family for so many years (although we were more low-key than most people we knew). I’m tired, and sadly tired of the weight and expectations associated with ALL holidays, religious and otherwise. The culture has become so highly energized toward buying, gifting, having fun, and loving everything about every holiday from Christmas to July 4th to Halloween and all the rest. I can’t and don’t want to keep up. Even at “home” in our relatively small village, we’ve learned to live simple and to be present to the little things.
The Creator is present every if only we will notice. Sometimes it can be hard to notice.
Thank you for putting so eloquently exactly the way I feel.
Years ago, I prayed for a more 'mystical' experience with God. I wanted deeper insight than all the surface religious platitudes. His answer was not in some imagined mystical ecstasy, but to look down at all that was going on from the soil to the hawks. He turned me into an ecology writer. My days are filled with fascination of all that is interconnected with this dumbfounding ground we live on. Thank you for permission to 'look down' to see the light. Happy Christmas.
I resonate deeply with this line: “carrying the massive cultural weight of the holiday.” Never know quite what to do with it. And then a favorite wrier helps ease the burden. Thank you for this lovely, heartfelt piece.
Barbara, I love everything you write! You are one of my top, if not the top author that I go to. I feel like our hearts are connected. And you are able to put into words my feelings. Thank you for sharing your gift.❤️
I was so looking forward to reading your post today, and like all your writing, it always resonates and inspires! Thank you for this Christmas Eve gift…Merry Christmas!
Beautiful, Barbara....Thank you for this powerful reframe to look down, and find the light we yearn for. Also, Christmas alone with the pine tree sounds lovely. :) On the theme of Christmas tide and Epiphany, I must tell you that "Home by Another Way" always sits in a prominent spot for our kids to grab each December. It is a true favorite. Love and blessings and a strong hug...
Peace be with you. Thank you for this gentle reminder that "on earth as it is in heaven" is a glorious and grounded place to be.
Beautiful writing, as always. The incarnation of God into a human being as captured in the word “Emmanuel” is my favorite thing to contemplate at Christmas too. Jesus showed us that the divine and the human CAN and DO mix. The spiritual is inside of the material! What a wonderful, meaningful message.
Thank you for such a simple and profound essay and a nod to the complexities around the holidays many of us feel. I now have a deeper meaning to “and heaven and nature sing.” “The light goes both ways.”
When I finally grow up, I want to write like BBT.
Another Story
In a night of stars
earth has birthed
the Beloved Light
from her dark flesh,
wrapped him in
the holy cloth of love
and laid his tiny body
in the soft grass.
From where he lay
there flowed a joy
a strange radiance,
and the incense of
of humus and decay
became sweet.
Lynn McLure
Thank you for a bit of enlightening wisdom on this for me a quiet night. May you have a peaceful Christmas...
I’ve always loved your writing and your heart, ever since All Saints! Having been fortunate enough to live on a farm for almost 40 years, you resonate so deeply in my own heart. Thank you for all your gifts.
Barbara, I am longtime fan of your writing and speaking. You are so gifted, and the sharing of your gifts, including, most recently, this morning’s Christmas Eve reflection, has been an enormous blessing to me. Thank you, friend.
🙌🙌🙌
Is ther a story or recording which comes with this photo and title by Barbara Taylor Brown? Pls inform me!??Joanne Snyder