The light has come into our dark world

Another Christmas and New Years Eve tradition …

When I was a young teenager I delivered the Miami Herald. It was the early to mid 1950s. Streetlights were rather spread apart which resulted in some interesting dark shadows. Most of them had become familiar to me, but every now and again something different would appear and it would cause me to pause, my heart stopping as my breath would be taken away. There were a number of late night bars along 36th street with some rather frightening characters. The police often patrol the area because strange things did happen. Most of the night sounds were taken in stride, but again there were times when strange sounds would happen, my skin with become nothing but goose bumps. I was always glad when I finished throwing the morning paper on certain streets along my route.

But all of that changed on Christmas and New Years Eve because the various people along the route that had outside decorations would leave them on all night. The darkness of night was lit up, the shadows were gone and the causes of those strange noises were easily identified. Besides it sure made for a pretty sight so early in the morning.

Light of the world, we hail thee,
Flooding the eastern skies;
Never shall darkness veil thee
Again from human eyes;
You long, alas, withholden,
Now spread from shore to shore;
They light, so glad and golden,
Shall set on earth no more.

The light of the world has come into our darkened world. There is nothing to be afraid of … no strangers, no noises … nothing that goes bump in the night. And so the lights are left on not only in celebration of Christ’s birth, but in recognition that in his coming our world has received a great light! It is time of celebration and of joy. Old things have passed away and all things have been made new!

Quote for today: Who is more foolish, the child afraid of the dark or the man afraid of the light? ~Maurice Freehill