In my BSW work one of the most important things I was taught, learned and put into practice was to sit with some in there ‘sadness’. This is truly just sitting with someone in the quiet silence, with someone and there pain, grief or sadness. Yes there is a difference between the two. Its always a fine line between when is silence just that or when it is meditative silence. I find that the meditative silence is incredibly beneficial and when employed correctly is very powerful.
But one thing that I was never expressly instructed to do was to be with someone in there joy. A few weeks ago we had a beautiful chapel service done by Spectrum, the GLBTQA organization for the theo school. It was very moving and clearly the Sprit was moving about quite freely. As I was receiving communion from the preacher I could see a single tear on there cheek and I could see that they where clearly emotional. I asked if I could hug them and they said I could. As I pressed my cheek upon there’s I felt part of her tear on my cheek. Now I’m not sure if what she was feeling joy, but I do think that she was feeling some degree of acceptance.
Again with Advent, we are supposed wait to anticipate. Do we do this? Sometimes maybe for that hour or so, that we are in church each week. But are we often just ‘sitting’ feeling the range of emotions that the advent and Christmas seasons bring. We think in our hyper commercialized America that we this is the season of gifts and buying and indulgence. But do we stop to consider that for many people this season frankly sucks. With so many losses that are faced during the year and with this economy more and more all the time, do we stop to sit with someone in this type of advent pain.
But where is the joy you ask. I think the joy comes with knowing that someone wants to be with you to tell you its ok to feel what you are feeling. Lets sit together and wait for better things to come. For surely we are all beloved and not everything is going to be bad forever.
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