Naming the World: My Advent Practice
Over on Facebook on my author page—Ellen Morris Prewitt: My Very Southern Voice— since the beginning of Advent, I’ve been putting into practice the concept I mused upon in this blog post about A Different Kind of Christmas.
Feel free to mosey on over to the page and enjoy the posts.
Here’s a free sample. Well, they’re all free. 🙂
MY ADVENT PRACTICE
This will be my Advent practice: naming that which has been in the world since time began.
I’ll start with water.
I’m thinking rain water and Memphis’s aquifer water but mainly the water of tears.
This afternoon, each time we told our friend in the nursing home how much he was loved and how many people were asking about him and how concerned everyone was about him, tears welled in his eyes. The trach kept him from speaking, but his connection with us was in his tears.
We might be from dust and to dust we might return but in the interim we have water.
*
This will be my Advent practice: naming that which has been in the world since time began.
I’ll continue today with laughter.
The belly-shaking
yelping
guffawing
uncontrollable
sauce of the universe.
Laughter:
don’t leave home without it.
*
This will be my Advent practice: naming that which has been in the world since time began.
I’ll continue today with cold.
You can be cold in the winter
or cold when you stay in the swimming pool too long.
You toes can be cold when you stamp the ground.
Your hand can be cold when getting ice cream from the fridge.
Cold ices the nostrils, burns the lungs, and
exhilarates a body that’s had too much close warm air.
C.O.L.D.
The way winter’s
supposed to be.
*
This will be my Advent practice: naming that which has been in the world since time began.
I’ll continue today with illusion.
We believe in what we cannot see–
the wind, love, the Internet–
because we see its effect.
Perhaps these invisibles are illusions
and the only thing that matters
are the effects.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you!
Advent Calendar, Advent Practice, getting ready for Christmas
Joanne Corey
Thank you for sharing, Ellen! Merry Christmas!
Ellen Morris Prewitt
You’re welcome! And Merry Christmas to you and yours!
ibeardsell
Very much enjoying this series!
Ellen Morris Prewitt
I am so glad. Thanks for following the author page—I appreciate it.
D. Wallace Peach
What a lovely practice and beautiful words. Merry Christmas 🙂
Ellen Morris Prewitt
Thank you. Glad you enjoyed it. And Merry Christmas to you as well.
Deborah
You’ve inspired me to be more intentional about Advent next year. It got away this time, but you’ve helped keep me grounded. And I thank you for that. 🙂
Ellen Morris Prewitt
That is so nice to know. Thank you for telling me. So many things get away from me—every once in a while I capture something. Hope you enjoyed your visit with your husband! And Merry Christmas!
Deborah
Thanks, Ellen! We are going to be able to spend the holidays together before I head back to Michigan on January 7. Merry Christmas to you! And best wishes for a wonderful year ahead.
Charlie
Ocean Isle … love that picture! We are hanging out with our G-daughter Nora this Christmas – so it is joyful. Enjoying your Advent thoughts and ideas. C
Ellen Morris Prewitt
That photo reminds me of God moving across the face of the waters when the world began. 🙂 Hope y’all have a fabulous Christmas with Nora and the family. love to all.