One frosty morning
An Advent wind
Called me outside
Into the pre-dawn darkness
It wasn’t a stormy wind
But it was strong
And determined
In those early morning
Shadows
So I went out
In the darkness
And stood
Still
The Advent wind
Sang to me
Danced around me
Tasseled my hair
Caressed my cheeks
Kissed my eyelids
Whispered to my heart
“Stay”
But I didn’t stay
The Advent wind
Called to me again
And I returned
As the sky grew lighter
And lighter
And I could see clearly
The images around me
I noticed the trees
Holding tightly
To the last leaves
The last berries
The last remnants
Of warm days
Before the deep
Cold slumber of winter
Descended upon the earth
With stark silence
And dreams
But I did not stay.
One more time
The Advent wind called to me and bid me
To breathe
And listen
The wind smelled
Of snow
And sounded
Urgent
The Advent wind
Told me to keep watching
To keep waiting
Until I find
What I am seeking
Until what I am seeking
Finds me
And then
To watch and wait
Some more
I wondered
What am I seeking
What is seeking me
Is it justice and hope
Is it mercy and love
Is it grace and peace
Is it the end
Of war and violence
Of hunger and pain
Of want and ignorance
Is it the beginning
Of something
That I cannot yet
Imagine
But for which
I am yearning
I wonder still
Another year from last
The Advent wind
Calls to me
As it does
Year after year
This time
The sound is
Low and soft
A weary whisper
As if it is tired of
Reminding Us
That all is not lost
That we can still
Watch and wait and seek
Reminding Us
That the Light does
Shine
In the darkness
Reminding Us
That
Emmanuel
God with us
Does not mean
God alone
