Reset with Hope

We moved to a new home in April, so this is the first year of decorating this home for

Christmas. On a warm day not long ago, I wrapped outside trees in shimmering white

lights, hoping our home would be a light in the darkness for those who passed by. I

tested the lights before I hung them, but I didn’t test the outdoor outlet. So after my

work was complete and I plugged them in, hoping to see bright lights shining, I got

nothing.

My husband was encouraging, however. “Just press the reset button, babe.” Sounded easy enough, but when I looked on the outlet, there was no reset button. My trees remain unlit.

This time of year many of us can feel like we need to press the reset button because truth

is, this time of year is demanding. We fill our minds with expectations and our hearts with hopes. We may know that the to-do list is unrealistic, but we cannot manage to minimize it. If we could only press the reset button for a do-over. Maybe tomorrow. Or January 1st. But what if there is no reset button?

While this season is full of all things that can make us a little wacky, if we pause, we will

notice that it is also full of hope. We see hope when a candle flickers in the dark to

remind us that light overcomes darkness. We hear hope when our favorite Christmas

carol plays in the car after a long day. We feel hope when we share company with a

friend even in a heavy-hearted time. We know hope when our spirit soars in the winter

sun’s warmth on a crisp day.

Hope wins, my friend. ‘Tis the season. Don’t wait for the reset. Hold onto hope.