Once the Stable Is Empty

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By Vuvueffino (Own work) via Wikimedia Commons

 Yesterday was such a lovely day...snow falling, peace-filled moments with my loved ones and joy-filled conversations. But...

 Once our sacred celebrations are over, what happens?   When the stable is empty, the candles are burned down, or the fire is gone cold, what do we do? Do we simply return to our lives as before?  Or, do we take something from whatever practice we follow to begin anew in the new year?  Do we release the pain and sorrow of the past so that we might travel lightly and with strength into the future, believing that we ARE the change we have been waiting for all this time?  

 The following was written by Rev. Howard Thurman.  I first posted this back in 2012, but I think it bears repeating. The message in this poem is universal and we need to consider it more today than ever before.



Work of Christmas Begins by Rev. Howard Thurman

"When the song of the angels is stilled,
when the star in the sky is gone,
when the kings and princes are home,
when the shepherds are back with the flocks,
then the work of Christmas begins:
to find the lost,
to heal those broken in spirit,
to feed the hungry,
to release the oppressed,
to rebuild the nations,
to bring peace among all peoples,
to make a little music with the heart…

And to radiate the Light of Christ,
every day, in every way, in all that we do and in all that we say.
Then the work of Christmas begins.

 Let us all strive to be instruments of Peace, Love and Healing today and all through the New Year.

 Namasté!

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