Let Your Heart Be Light

 Today was our congregation's Christmas celebration in Sacrament Meeting. It was a rough day for me, as the ward organist. We switched songs at the last minute, and the second verse of "Joy to the World" went completely off the rails, and I laughed so hard! I laugh when I'm embarrassed. I laugh a lot.

Anyway, as I tried to herd my cat-like thoughts during the Sacrament ordinance, I saw such worry in the congregation. I know there are a lot of heavy things in the world these days. One brother's mother had just been admitted into the hospital for a serious reason. There were widows and those who had suffered divorce. I saw single women, and parents who still dead-name and misgender trans children, and screaming babies. So. Many. Screaming. Babies.

The words "let your heart be light" came into my thoughts and I prayed for everyone, that the music that we made would ease their burdens.

I very carefully distinguished between "let" your heart be light, and "make" your heart be light. I don't want the idea - a gift from Jesus - to become a weapon against those who face challenges. I just wanted it to be a kind of permission to see the light when it comes.

We are in the darkest days of the year right now. The sun isn't always up, and it can get hard to remember what sunlight is even like. But if we let our hearts take pleasure in the season: if we share time with people, if we let people into our hearts or share our blessings with them, if we breathe the cold air and marvel at the lowering clouds and the glowing snow, if we decorate in bright colors, I think a difficult time can become the most precious as well.

Yes, I don't mean pretend everything is Summer, or dwell on better times, or force yourself to smile when guests come over. I definitely DON'T mean that you should "choose to be happy." Because toxic positivity is toxic, y'all. 

I mean don't fight peace, if it comes to your heart, and don't hoard it like a miser if you have a lot of it. 

And if your heart is heavy or full of strife, then I can help carry that for a while, too, and maybe that will give you time for your own peace.


(image: German Christmas market at night with lights)

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