Between now and the New Year can be an extremely hectic roller coaster for people living with chronic illness. Oh, yes, we try to participate in festivities and to observe Advent with extra prayer and piety. But we also often have multiple doctor appointments and other health issues to tend to. These days, chronic illness can be very time-consuming and exhausting!

Yet, in the midst of our busy-ness, it’s still important to tend to our hearts, the core of holiday time that is deep within. This means that, even if we are tired or very symptomatic, we should keep watching.

Watching for…?

Watching for the little glimpses of God’s love that surround us in nature, in one another, and in the extra decorations and adornments of the Season.

Watching for the ways that we can reach out, however gently, to bring a bit of cheer to someone who seems down or to someone who seems left out.

Watching for opportunities to lift up gratitude and happiness to Our Lord (yes, Jesus really wants us to find the joy in our suffering and the uplift in our down-cast expressions!).

Watching for the movement of time, from waiting to experiencing, from Advent to Christmas.

We can watch from our comfy chairs or the infusion station. We can watch from inside our homes or outside, when we’re moving about the world. We can watch when we’re speaking with a loved one or a stranger.

We can watch at any time, anyplace. And we can reap the blessings that come from being vigilant. We can find even more grace, which stems from our Lord. We can find greater hope. More joy.

We can find the essence of our daily walk and our sparkling faith.

So, keep watching! There’s more to see – and much more joy to find!

Peace,

Maureen