Lines at Christmas
Pulling up to the red light at Michigan and Meridian Streets on my way to work early one Sunday morning, a hearse pulled up next to me just as a young woman with a baby in a stroller was crossing in front of us. My thoughts became somehow focused on the lines of the crosswalk at which we were stopped and the line between death (the hearse) and life (the baby in the stroller). Plus it was Meridian Street (Meridian representing the lines of longitude that stretch half way around the earth). Lines, lines everywhere.
That took my thoughts to all the Oil of Olay products I had recently purchased, thinking that I needed to get rid of the lines on my face and, albeit a bit late, start using such anti-aging products. On other people, I really admire the lines on their faces, especially “laugh lines”, just not so much on my own face.
Those lines though are what make people unique…..these “laugh lines” next to our eyes, often caused by those laughable moments in life, sometimes even the ones accompanied by tears…..the lines on our forehead caused by being deep in thought trying to understand something, by squinting on a sunny day while at some outdoor event, or by dealing with stressful situations…..and the lines around one’s mouth often caused by talking, frowning and even kissing. These are the story lines of our lives.
One of my passions is to hear people’s stories. When I led one of the trips to New Orleans in the hurricane recovery effort, I was lovingly chided for not “working” on the homes but sitting on the doorstep hearing the owner’s stories. Yes…..that would be me.
Anyway, I ditched the Oil of Olay products, which didn’t seem to be doing anything anyway. In doing so I’ve grabbed onto more fiercely my love for people’s stories.
In 2018 I hope to hear more about what caused that furrowed brow, whether stories of grief, or deep moments in thought. I hope to hear stories about what moments of deep belly laughing caused those laugh lines. I hope to hear stories about that first kiss that started those lines around a person’s mouth. Life is all about relationships, period. Relationships are formed by listening and sharing.
In Proverbs 2: 1 –5 we read: “Tune your ears to the world of Wisdom; set your heart on a life of Understanding.” That wisdom and understanding comes through listening to the story lines of others’ lives and from listening to the true story of life found in the bible. The life that only God gives us through the birth of his Son that we celebrate this time of year and through his death and resurrection we’ll celebrate beginning on Valentine’s Day when Ash Wednesday happens and Lent begins leading us through 40 days to Easter.
As we journey through another year may we take to heart the words found in James 3: 17: “Real wisdom, God’s wisdom, begins with a holy life and is characterized by getting along with others. It is gentle and reasonable, overflowing with mercy and blessings.” Strive for that wisdom that comes only from God and infuse it into our story lines and the story lines of those we meet and greet.
