December 26, after Christmas walk

it was warm 

for a december afternoon

and rain fell steady

inserting my ear phones

i started the walk

to the songs of les mis

another christmas 

had passed

i couldn’t help but wonder

if it would be the last 

with mom and dad

or might tragedy 

of another kind

befall 

before the halls

were decked again

then came the voice 

of young cosset

i slowed my steps

to listen well

and while 

her fragile words

settled in my heart

the weight of dread

took flight…

“there is a castle 

in the clouds

where no one’s lost

and no one cries”

(where there are

no sad goodbyes)

the song

like a snowflake,

faded quietly away

but other words

ancient and few

surfaced 

from memory

“FEAR NOT”

“For behold!”

how 

had i forgotten 

so soon?

“Behold!” 

“Behold”

and be held

all you who know yourselves

to be poor

“a baby 

is born!”

And He 

is the lamb

of God

“Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world. “

                                                              ~John the Baptist

“He shattered the space between heaven and earth 

and came naked and breakable for you in a creche.  

Then he lay naked and broken by you on a cross. 

You don’t have to try to save yourself.  Behold Him everywhere and be held.” 

                                                        Ann Voskamp, The Greatest Gift

My “word” for 2019 is remember. :)

What’s yours?