Are You Ready for Christmas?

Wisdom of the Wounded

I have the following poem by Henry Van Dyke on my refrigerator to remind me each day during Advent to get ready for the Christmas celebration.

Are you willing—

to stoop down and consider the needs and desires
of little children;
to remember the weakness and loneliness of people
who are growing old; to stop asking how much your friends love you, and
to ask yourself whether you love them enough;
to bear in mind the things that other people have to
bear on their hearts; to trim your lamp so that it will give more light and
less smoke, and to carry it in front so that your
shadow will fall behind you;
to make a grave for your ugly thoughts and a garden
for your kindly feelings, with the gate open?

Are you willing to do these things for a day?
Then you are ready to keep Christmas!

–Henry Van Dyke

Photo Credit: Stewart Black

Updated 2022

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