A New World Longing

"We are united in grief because we long for a world where peace and joy reign." ~ my Facebook post on my timeline tonight

I was cranky on the way home from work tonight. I had not yet heard the devastating news of the bomb attacks in Boston. As I prepared to do my examen for the day, I realized that my earlier crabbiness had come upon me for some unknown reason and had stayed with me, sucking the joy out of my life. If this had been my last moment, I would have died miserable. I don't even know why I was so out of sorts really--I do know the clerk at the grocery store was sarcastic about my having failed to swipe my air miles card properly and made a comment that irritated me. That was my first inkling I was in a bad mood. I am rarely in a bad mood and often don't know what to do with myself when I am. Meanwhile people had died in Boston, some had been seriously injured, and once again we hold our breath as we wait to see who has done this terrible deed and why on earth anyone would think up such an act.

Our hearts are not made for evil. I believe that in my deepest being. We are made for love. Oftentimes in life that is stolen from us at a young age, and yet some of us remain resilient, even if we are not unscathed. We choose the way of Love for a world so in need of healing, mercy and forgiveness. Why do some of us choose that way, while others stand for destruction, hatred, and horror?

I still choose joy. I sit here, reflecting back upon my day for today's dare: a gift in a bag, in a box and in a book. Three gifts a day will lead to over a thousand in a year and I shall be even more transformed into a being of Joy. Bagging my own groceries shifted my awareness of my grumpiness to a place of peace. A colleague dragged me to her office and hijacked my plans for the afternoon by insisting that she feed me Smarties for helping her. She knows I rarely say no to chocolate and really, aren't relationships more important than most things we do at work? Always, Ann Voskamp has a word for me and I am so grateful for stumbling across her blog by no accident, and for reading her book and devotional. Tonight I found solace in her words on the origin of joy. Such a wonderful image that it is linked to the word Eucharist.

Tonight I lift up all those affected by the Boston bombings--those of the dead, the injured, the innocent bystanders, the runners, the perpetrators and their families, and those awaiting news of family and friends. The voices raised in prayer once again prevail upon a new world longing, one in which peace, joy, and mercy live. May that day come when all the tears are wiped away.

Peace,

Suzanne