Of all the holiday songs that have been playing since Halloween, the one that stands out to me this year is a somber one. “Where are you Christmas?” by Faith Hill seems to be fitting as I turn on my television to see images of innocent children who won’t get to open their presents waiting under the tree this year. As a mother, I can’t imagine what the families of the Sandy Hook tragedy are enduring. The sense of loss, despair, anger, fear, and confusion. How could this happen? Where is the hope in this Christmas season?
I heard a sermon this past Sunday that talked about the importance of not seeking quick answers that try to justify what happened. In times of great loss, I have learned that being present is often more important than being a problem solver. Many times there are no words to bring healing. What can be said to a parent when her child leaves for school one morning and doesn’t return?
The reality is that Christmas is not “the most wonderful time of the year” for many, not only in Newton, Conn., but throughout the world. For many, it’s a reminder of a lost loved one, through an empty seat at the dinner table or a family tradition that now seems incomplete. Recognizing people’s pain and reaching out to those who are suffering and alone this Christmas may be one small way to bring hope and comfort in the days ahead.
“Where are you Christmas?,” a simple but profound and especially meaningful song this year. It starts in sadness but slowly builds to a message of hope with the words, “If there is love in your heart and your mind, you will feel like Christmas all the time.”
Maybe a glimmer of Christmas can be found after all.