Tuesday 12 December 2006

A good thing to do

I went tonight to share in a Christmas Solace Service. A service for those who will find Christmas difficult for all sorts of reasons. One of my friends was there who lost a baby early in the year. I was conscious as we sang innocuous Christmas Carols how a mother and father who cannot hold their little baby must feel when they hear the words of these carols.
R's eyes caught mine as we sang "Where a mother laid her baby" and I quickly looked away.
But these carols are unremitting in their simple sentiment that can rip us apart so unknowingly.
Round the virgin mother and child, all is not calm and all is not too bright.
and the stars in the bright sky look down for R on an empty cradle.
It is unremitting!
She fortunately is a good thing and processes these things very well. But I was conscious as we lit candles for causes known and unknown that so many women came up and lit candles. How many had lost children I do not know. But Christmas exposes our sadness as well as our joy.

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