Most of my family lives is Massachusetts where I grew up. I now live in Arizona. So I don't get to go home for every holiday. I'm not asking for a pity party, it's just background info to the point of the story. Tomorrow is the one year anniversary of when my stepdad went into cardiac arrest and as a result went brain dead. Finally, New Years Eve is his actual passing. So this time of year is tough on our family. I wasn't in the mood to celebrate. (Have I ruined your Christmas yet? Well keep reading until the end for the happy part!) For some reason instead of hot chocolate, white snow (which we don't have in Phoenix) and friends, I wanted to go for a hike. And this was strange. I always say I like hiking but reality, I am SO out of shape! Especially since it's so cold in the morning!
So bright and early , well my version of bright and early, 7:30am I headed out! Up North Mountain. Not the best one in Phoenix but the closet to me. I didn't know why I was doing it. I thought, "Maybe I'm just getting away from everything. Maybe it's to get anger out. I don't know. All I do know is I have to go. " So I did. But my expectations were not met... They went further.!
As I began I thought oh no bad idea! The first five minutes was when I realized how bad of a shape I was in! But I needed to get to the top and see the sun over the mountain. It was my goal and I wanted to achieve it. No matter what it took. As I kept going I was shocked at how many other hikers there was on a day normally people spend with families. I thought, wow, I guess I'm not the only one. I kept hiking with my headphones on and my waterbottle in my hand.
Finally!! I realized the reason I was supposed to go hiking!: Jesus' Christmas gift to me, and it was a two-fer. First, I forgot it was Christmas, literally! I was just going for a hike and going to go to someone's house later who invited me to spend the day with them. But my "Christmas spirit" was not present. I forgot about the cheer and joy. As I was hiking, almost every person (at least 15-20) smiled and said "Good morning! Merry Christmas!" Just that small gesture for some reason meant so much. It brought me into the Christmas spirit. Thank you Lord! The second gift was when I reached the top. The amazing view of the sunrise. I just sat in the cold wind and soaked it in. God gave this gorgeous gift for me to behold. His promise of His love for me.
Again I don't know if I was climbing to get energy out, or to spend time alone or if it was my weird way to try to reach Heaven where my family who passed away is. But what I do know is the heavens reached down to me.
Merry Christmas!
1 comment:
Very nice article. Though I do have a wife and daughter, I am at that point in life where I have lost many loved ones, and so Christmas can seem lonely, as I reflect on the times which cannot be again.
I grew up in Michigan, but now live in the Atlanta area, where we only rarely have winter snow. My mother's family is Catholic, but except for his brother, my father's was Lutheran (his brother married a nice Irish Catholic girl, and they had 13 kids.) My mother's family was always close; my father's rather chill and distant.
All our lives, all our experiences, are different, but we all share the one God, our father. In my life, there have been times when I was on my own at Christmas, and friends made me a part of their family for the day. I hope this will also happen to you, so that you may add to the rest the special happiness of being close to children on that most special day.
May God bless you in your work.
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