“One day when I was walking home from school with my friends I noticed this guy putting out all of these Christmas decorations. For some reason it never occurred to me that people spend time creating their own personal Christmas display – it was not a thing in my family. And part of what grabbed my attention about the guy creating his showcase was the big smile on his face.
As soon as I got home I asked my mom if we could go buy Christmas lights and decorations to put outside. Without missing a beat my mom responded, ‘I’ll buy them if you not only put them up but also take them down and store them.’
I would have never have guessed that briefly watching that guy with a smile on his face would have changed my life. And now for over 40 years I spend a good portion of the year creating and building my Christmas display…always with a smile of my face.”
I love this story that was told to me by a fellow who creates an incredible Christmas display outside his home when I asked him the simple question, “How did all of this get started for you?”
What was so visibly apparent in both the telling of his story and watching the long line of cars driving by his house is the shared joy. He takes joy in creating – and – neighbors near and far get great joy out of experiencing his creation.
That is one of the greatest blessings of this time of year. Decorations, music, gift giving and receiving all create a shared sense of joy.
Friend and colleague, Br. Geoffrey Tristram writes, “Joy comes from within, and Paul tells us that joy is a gift from God, one of the gifts of the Spirit.” And mystic and theologian Julian of Norwich offers this, “The fullness of joy is to behold God in everything.”
Joy is a gift and dwells deep within each of us. And when that joy is shared with others it can be nothing short of transformational…life changing.
Come, my joy, my love, my heart:
Such a joy as none can move:
Such a love, as none can part:
Such a heart, as joys in love. – George Herbert
BP