From The Innkeepers

On Holidays, Holy Days, and the Blessing of this Season

At this time of year

– When darkness comes earlier and stays longer,

– When we celebrate festivals of lights and tell stories of the triumph of light over darkness,

– When we not only give gifts, but we can ourselves become gifts by our generosity and acts of kindness,

– When winter starts to dig in its heels, and instead of complaining of the harshness of the weather, we instead seize the opportunity to turn inward for a while, to quiet the soul, and reflect more, on how each day can be a holy day,

– When we let go of the past year and look forward to a new one,

– When we let go of past selves and set resolutions and entertain the possibility of being

different, or better yet, of making a difference in someone’s life,

-When in quiet moments we admit to ourselves that no brightly wrapped package can fill our deepest longings as human beings to love and to be loved,

We pause,

To bless this time of year by giving thanks for all of the gifts both known and unknown to us,

For all who have and will pass through our gates, we greet you with warmth and hospitality and ask only that you bring an open heart to receive the gifts that surround us.

To close this month’s message, I’d like to share this prayer with you:

“By fire, by earth, by wind, by water, may you be blessed.  By all things that have and do connect us, may we all be blessed.  By the God of journeys, of healing, of mystery, of hope, may we continually be birthed.”

Jan Richardson

We wish you and your loved ones a happy holiday season.

Gratefully,

Marcia, Pat, and Sharon