Runways

Susan Cain is the author of the book /Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can’t Stop Talking./After coming out with the book, she then started a Podcast with the same name for parents of introverted children. During one of the episodes, she talked about how ‘runways’ can help children who feel anxious in social settings prepare themselves for future social engagement.

We use ‘runways’ all the time with our son, Jed. Being caught off guard with a change in the routine or entering an unexpected social setting can often lead to some of Jed’s less endearing traits. However, if we tell him in advance (often more than once) over the course of a day, or even a couple days, it is an entirely different experience. He often has done the work to mentally and physically prepare himself for the unknown, for the chaos, for the expectations.

It’s the miracle of preparation.

Tis the season of preparation, and yet, if we let ourselves we can skip the preparation and lose ourselves in the uncontrollable current that is the raging Christmas river. It will wash through your month of December taking your time, your energy, and your money and leaving the banks of the shore littered with receipts, missed deadlines at work, and more cleaning in your home than you even had after your Thanksgiving gathering.

For the season of Advent, we are inviting you to slow down and remember the different promises that are made throughout scripture about the arrival of a new baby, a new way of life, a new covenant. One of those first promises is that the darkness will never overcome the light.

This promise does not always feel realistic. In the midst of grief, to believe there is a light at the end of the proverbial tunnel can feel trivial or even diminishing of the current reality. In the midst of depression, to believe that it will get better can feel unlikely or impossible. In the midst of violence and evil, to believe that light and love will prevail can feel like cheap hope. And yet, that is the promise that has been made. Even in the darkest dark, the light of a single candle will triumph.

There is a reason why Hope was locked in Pandora’s box. It pushes us to believe the impossible, to be agents of change when we feel small, and to take a step forward when it feels easier to stop.

As you prepare your hearts, bodies, and minds for the arrival of something new, how does choosing Hope create light in your world? How does the anticipation of something to be hopeful for help you bring your best self to the celebration of Christmas at the end of December? May you find time in the next few days to practice Hope and prepare you and yours for the Promise of Christmas.

Peace,
Rev Elizabeth