’tis the season to be quiet. It’s advent. It’s dark and still. That is, it’s dark and still except for all the holiday lights and non-stop Christmas music, the mad pace of consumerism, the stress of high expectations.
For those of us who like to observe the advent season as a contemplative time of waiting and watching for signs of hope and light, we create filters to screen out the noise as best we can. The screeching demands 
to ENJOY! BE HAPPY! SPEND MONEY! EAT! DRINK! sound like crows having a fight if our filters fail us. To reinforce the filters, I turn myself into a scarecrow as needed.
At the same time, I tune my receptors to hear the sweet notes of peace, love, generosity, and compassion. They are there if we soften our gaze to see through the ribbons and foil. Opening myself to receive the gifts that can’t be wrapped is what Advent means to me.
nancyjfinleysd 