Christmas Morn, Mourn, and More’n

Sitting out watching the morn. You can see my feet.

Our home at rest, early morning.

“One cannot imagine a world in which there is nothing but language and speech,

but one can imagine a world where there is nothing but silence.’

~Max Picard, The World of Silence, p. 17

It’s early Christmas morn. Silence. Dark throughout the house. Outside the slow crunch of four tires atop the fresh, soft, white snow. The only sound.

I love this quiet moment.

After the music, the lights, the pageantry, the message, the welcome, the community – this is the time of shekhinah, of the sacrament of the present moment. Of oneness and peace.  Of emptiness and fullness.

For some this year, and perhaps every year, it’s also Christmas mourn.  A difficult time of year. Of loss. For others, Christmastime is more’n the rest of the year put together.  A time of overflowing.  Of joy.

As life changes, next year those roles might be reversed.

But really, don’t those three reside in each of us all the time?  Perhaps at different times – in the year, in our lives – one or the other rises to the top of our awareness.

All I know is that in a little while my house, our home, will be awake, filled with people and pups I love.  Others we love will be in communion with us across the miles.  It will be a day filled with treasure that kings and queens, the rich and the powerful might never have. Or might, and in full measure.  I pray so.  And for those in every circumstance.

Morn, mourn, and more’n – time, emptiness, and abundance – inhabit each moment, regardless of season or day. It is so evident today, but no differently than every other, quotidian, exceptionally normal, normally exceptional day.

If we’ll pay attention.

We here at the Profound Bartender (I love this phrase David), are so honored to have you sit down with us at the bar from time to time.  As my brother said earlier today, it’s such a pleasure for us to work together on this little blog.  There is the “conceit”, as he said, that we have anything interesting or important to say (fortunately, I have him to carry me so I just don’t worry about it), but it’s just too much fun not to give it a try.

You pour more into us than we could ever pour into any mug.

“…the Shekhinah, the presence and immanence of God in the whole of creation.

It is the point where man, in attaining the deepest understanding of his own self,

becomes aware of the presence of God in the whole of creation.”

~Gershom Scholem, Major trends in Jewish mysticism. p. 216.

References:

Picard, M. (2002). The world of silence (Reprint ed.). Wichita, Kan.: Eighth Day Press.

Scholem, G. (1995). Major trends in Jewish mysticism. New York: Schocken Books.