Advent is nestled in an interesting time of the year for creation: nights lengthen, trees and nests stand empty, temperatures drop, the dawn chorus is simple and quiet with the few last strongholds of birds, and fields lay fallow. Yet, among the growing reminders that nature rests, we wait in hopeful anticipation of new life: the Christ Child, love embodied.
“People, Look East” contains some of my favorite nature imagery. In my mind they are all connected, and the physical preparations for Christmas become like a Disney Princess montage. Birds carry garlands of pinecones to hang on the hearth while the night sky illuminates the squirrels presenting the humans with acorns; humans return the favor by opening their doors and providing cozy shelter for the animals and plants while they collectively await the appearance of the star.
Though I am no Disney Princess, I take inspiration from this song as we prepare our house for winter and Christmas. My spouse and I plan to let our garden rest for the winter under a blanket of leaves, providing winter homes for the pollinators in our midst. Our children will continue to climb in the trees in our yard, being careful of the leftover nests from last spring, holding hope for new hatchlings again. I hope to stand in our driveway nightly, bundled up, letting the fog of my breath intermingle with the sparkle of the stars and cold air, imagining what it was like to notice the Christmas star for the first time, all those years ago. All of these actions align our bodies with our hearts: acknowledging the need to prepare for rest and for welcoming new life.
This song also resonates with a long-held belief: The divine is in everything; love ordains all of the mundane into something holy. Love is guest, rose, bird, star and the Lord. In my life I also see Love as child, rain, tree, cosmos, flowers and safe community spaces. As we prepare our hearts for the arrival of the Christ Child, how can we acknowledge and celebrate his peace-bringing presence in all beings around us?
