Christmas Hope and Light

This Holiday Season has been a very full one for us. We attended or took part in many local celebrations of the season. We did everything from being present for the lighting of the tree at Hayward City Hall, taking part in Las Posadas with the Unitarian Universalist church, attending a Christmas concert in Newark, spending an evening with dear friends watching Babes in Toyland with Laurel and Hardy and eating scrumptious strawberry shortcake, going to a Christmas bell choir and choir concert, going to a Christmas boutique with a good friend, having Christmas Eve dinner with friends, taking part in a wonderful Christmas Eve Worship, and having Christmas Day dinner with my friend Claire and her two kids.

I am so full of the light that all of this brought to me, especially dinner with Claire and the “kids” (they are both in their 60’s). This little family has no one left and I had never thought about that. When we dropped Claire off and I was hugging her, she said in my ear, “thank you for asking us to share the meal with you. We are always alone and this was the best Christmas since Gordon died. I know my kids will never forget it, thank you so much.” Here I was thinking how wonderful it was to be able to share the joy of the day because they brought so much joy to me and never thinking about what a big deal this was for them. For me, it was a new traditional being born that was now bringing me new hope and it brought new light to them.

Isn’t this what the whole season is about? Waiting, watching, and working for hope brought us to Christmas brought us the birth of new hope, new life and a chance to be reborn in this Spirit. We thought of ourselves, or at least I did. How would I change, how would I make a difference at UCH? The amazing thing is that while my focus was there, without my thinking about it, I was part of bringing about change for others, bringing new life and some hope to people I care deeply about.

I became a conduit for the Lord to fill the hearts of people around me. I am betting that every one of us experienced this in some way this season. Imagine that each of us was able to bring hope to one person this season. When you do the high math (this is not my strong suit!) it means that hundreds and hundreds of people experienced light that made a difference for them. If each of these people had a candle and every person they brought light to had a candle, along with each of us, we would have lit up Hayward and beyond as we sang Silent Night on Christmas. We are so blessed!

Thank you for all of the hope and light you bring to my life. May we all be enveloped in the loving arms of the Divine as we share the light within us.   -Chris L.