Goodness in the Middle
White and gooey goodness
joins chocolate wafers - so -
and sticks them together
to become an Oreo!
And what's any sandwich
without stuff that's in between?
Take the filling out and
just the naked bread is seen!
Good stuff in the middle
is what helps our lives cohere.
In midst of confusion
there are moments crystal clear.
If sometimes I'm lonely
and miserable - or blue -
I see bread and wafers
but I ignore the glue!
There's good stuff in the middle -
stuff I should not forget.
There's still filling in a pie
I haven't tasted yet.
Tasty filling in a pie
might seem a little thing,
but such delicious "middles"
can make your taste buds sing!
Look for stars among the clouds
when everything looks bleak;
search inside and you'll find strength
in midst of moments weak.
Seek out a spot of beauty
among all that's mundane.
The good things in the middle
of your days can keep you sane!
There's more to life than wafers,
and more than crust or bread -
focus on the fillings that
enhance your life instead.
Sharon Flood Kasenberg, December 11, 2016
Yesterday I attended the Presbyterian church in my village. (We had planned to run across the street to the United church, but we overslept, so the Presbyterians got us by default.) I love going to church at Christmas time, and because Mother Nature saw fit to dump seven or eight inches overnight, we weren't about to travel an hour to attend my husband's congregation. So, off we went to join the Presbyterians, neither of us knowing what to expect. We figured if the sermon wasn't inspiring, we'd at least get to sing a few Christmas carols and look inside a building we've admired many times.
Now I don't mean to give too much credence to stereotypes, but both my husband and I had a vague notion that Presbyterians were dour Scots, and that we may not be greeted enthusiastically. But the preacher met us at the door (we'd come into the wrong entrance) and showed us into the sanctuary, which was indeed very pretty. He seemed like a very friendly man, and when the service got underway I was impressed by his enthusiasm and his sincerity. (My husband carped that he used the word beautiful too often, but my response was that I'd rather be around someone who saw beauty everywhere than someone who never saw it at all!)
His message was thought provoking. One of the scriptures he reviewed was Isaiah Chapter 35. He pointed out that this passage was written as a type of poetry called chiasmus - which I'd heard of before, but hadn't given a thought to in several years. He broke it down like this:
Verses 1-2: Creation is transformed - desert places will become as lush and beautiful as fertile areas.
Verse 3: Humanity is transformed with strength
Verse 4: God comes to the rescue
Verse 5-6: Human transformation continues - the blind see, the lame walk; the deaf hear.
Verses 6-7: Creation continues to transform - water replenishes the desert.
I like the way this minister summed up the whole circular process - the work begins, God appears - in the middle! - and then work resumes.
I know a lot of people are ambivalent about the religious aspect of the Christmas season. (Yeah - I can call it that. I was raised believing in Jesus Christ, and thus my holiday is Christmas, and I fail to see how the way I reference what I'm celebrating in any way insults those who are celebrating something else this season.) Many who consider themselves Christian find great satisfaction in trying to keep God at the center of their lives. They strive to lead lives that emulate the characteristics of Jesus Christ - to be kind, service-oriented, non-judgmental and merciful.
But I know everyone doesn't see it this way, so I'm going to expand the concept of "God in the middle" by adding one small o - or perhaps "Oh" - into the mix. You don't need to be a Christian - or a believer in any god - to understand the importance of a little "oh", like -
"Oh - I'm so sorry" (compassion)
"Oh - I have extra!" (generosity)
"Oh - I can do that!" (confidence)
"Oh - I need help." (humility)
"Oh - that's amazing!" (wonder)
"Oh - that's beautiful!" (appreciation)
Here's the kicker - if you just add a small "oh" to the word god it becomes good. And if you live your life trying to keep everything good at your center, then your life becomes good. You become good.
Keeping the real spirit of Christmas hinges on our ability to see good, do good, and be good, and thus keep goodness in the middle of our lives.
Do we look for the good in others? Do we take time to see what's wonderful about our world? Are we willing to admit that sometimes our vision is clouded - that we don't know everything, don't understand very much at all, and go through life stating our own biased opinions without ever observing how we're making others feel in the process? Too often we are focused on the negatives in our lives. We resent having to eat our crusts when the tasty bit of life's sandwich are consumed. We want to scrape off the frosting in the middle and toss out those now uninspiring wafers. We want to dig the filling out of the pie and toss out the crust. (If you're actually tossing out pie crusts, it's because making good piecrust is a dying art. I'll blog about that another time!)
Christmas is all about seeing possibilities. According to the story we've all heard, Jesus didn't arrive on earth as a full grown man, or a supernatural being with superpowers on display. He came as a helpless baby - one many believed would ultimately save humanity. It is a story of faith and hope and infinite possibilities. You don't need to be Christian to understand that every child born should be greeted as a miracle, and that each embodies possible greatness. Every child might grow up to do great things - to cure disease or change the course of humanity through innovation, invention or creation. Every culture and creed on the planet should be able to comprehend the wondrous possibilities that accompany a new life into the world.
Christmas is all about seeing potential in those around us. It's about seeing joy in the faces of those we love and seeing ways to give gifts that mean something to those we love, and then going a bit deeper to see how we can dedicate our talents and time to make others happy and meet their needs.
Do we actively try to "do good"? Do we care about the people around us, and do we care for them when they need assistance? Do we offer friendship to the lonely and comfort to the suffering? Do we involve ourselves in good causes and believe that we can, individually and collectively, make the world a little better each day? Are we focused on being kind, charitable and generous?
Christmas is all about doing good - giving to others. It's about being kind and charitable. It's about showing love for each other through the exchange of intangible gifts. It's about living as though you believe that the world is full of possibilities, and that somehow you can make a difference somewhere. It's also about belief - in the magic and the mysteries that fill our lives with moments of awe, in the power of love, and in ourselves and each other.
Do we make honest efforts at self improvement, or are we defeatists who say, "I am what I am, and this is all I'll ever be?" You don't need to be bothered aiming for perfection - just do your best to be consistently good, and you'll be surprised by how good you feel.
In order to embrace the true spirit of this season we need to embrace all of the best aspects of ourselves. We need to see how we each can emulate the positive traits of the characters of the nativity. We need to know how we can shine like a star, tend like a shepherd, seek like a wise man. We need to believe that we can nurture like Mary and protect like Joseph. We need to be angels who bear good news to humanity - even if the only positive news we have to share is that we believe we can work together to make the world a better place. We need to proclaim goodness through our efforts and actions.
I like the idea of "goodness in the middle". I like to believe that as we work to transform the world around us, we transform ourselves. Goodness comes to the rescue. We save ourselves, and each other, by our efforts to see the best, do our best and be our best. And then the work of transformation continues.
Christmas in my part of the world comes in the middle of cold temperatures and shoveling snow. It arrives in the midst of head colds and back aches. Christmas day comes in the midst of political turmoil, natural disasters, poverty, misery and chaos. The celebration of Christmas comes to the fortunate with all of its trimmings - good things to eat, good friends to celebrate with, presents to open, and beautiful decorations. There's so much goodness in the season - even if you don't see it as a religious holiday, try to see it for the opportunities it offers to share goodness.
I refuse to "bah humbug" through a season that started as a representation of something more. I won't bemoan the commercialism it entails. I won't carp on about the cold that is just part of the month of December where I live.
Instead, I will see this season as a little bit of wonderment in the middle - the good that comes just when we need a little encouragement in our transformative efforts. I'll see the bright lights on the long dark nights, and the possibilities the season offers - to build friendships, to serve others, to be enriched by a lovely story of hope, and by the majestic music that story inspired.
In the midst of my bleak midwinter, I'll consider how lucky I am to have something to celebrate.
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