A couple of days ago, I sat at my computer reading and responding to emails of people begging to share a little holiday love. That day, a request I had sent to the Together Rising Holiday Hands effort went live and I was inundated with offers to help this struggling mom I know. I wanted this sweet mom to know that even though she is going through a stressful time, her love for her children is enough to carry their family through. I had asked if anybody would be willing to write this mom a little note of love and support and we are here for each other goodness to drop in the mail.
I couldn’t believe the response.
You know how your heart hurts when people are in pain and you almost can’t stand it? When this happens to me, I want to curl up under the covers and push the pain away. The feelings are just too overwhelming, so I hide.
Well, that day, my heart was hurting in the same way, not because I was witnessing pain, but because I was witnessing love. This love was amazing to me because it was completely selfless. These women were begging me to support this mom they didn’t even know simply because her story was one they understood. They didn’t know her. But they also did. They knew how she felt and they knew, in their deepest selves, that what Mother Teresa said is true, “If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.” These women wanted to bring this hurting mom a little peace.
It has been so very long since my heart has hurt out of pure joy that I didn’t know what to do. I actually suggested that maybe this dear mom had enough people writing her letters and that the request could be closed. I didn’t know if my heart could keep bearing this joyful pain. But the wise helpers kept wanting to help. They (rightfully) ignored my request and kept asking for her address. So, I kept sending it, and my heart kept breaking.
I think we forget that our hearts break out of love. A breaking heart hurts, and so we want it to stop as quickly as possible. We treat heartbreak as something to get through and over and be done with.
But our hearts wouldn’t break at all if we didn’t love in the first place. And love is always worth it. Love will always be worth it.
Advent begins in just over one week. I love the season of Advent because it’s the time in the liturgical church when we get to joyfully prepare for the baby Jesus. Maybe this Advent season we could spend a little time reminding people that we care. I think that one of the ways God reaches us is through the people we love, so as we prepare for Jesus, let’s share that love of God with our friends and family.
Once the season of Advent begins, I’m going to post simple ideas on the God Forever Tries facebook page. If you want to walk with us through the season of Advent, make sure you Like the page AND that you select it as a page you want to see First in your feed.
When the ideas show up in your feed, you can use them as ways to prepare for Christmas and the expectation for Jesus’ arrival by sharing a little love with others. Can you imagine what would happen if the world was full of people trying their hardest to love one another? Just knowing that somebody else cares is enough to give us the strength to do great things. Maybe, together, we can spread love and break open a few more hearts this Advent season.
god forever tries 