Alan Harris reading
Listening to Christmas
by Alan Harris
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Have you ever heard snow? Not the howling wind of a blizzard, not the crackling of snow underfoot, but the actual falling of snow? We heard it one night in Wisconsin quite unexpectedly while walking up a hill toward our cabin in the woods, a soft whisper between footsteps. We stopped, switched off our flashlights, and just listened. All around us in the darkness we heard the gentle fall of snow on snow. No wind, no sound but the snow. Have you ever heard Christmas? Not the traffic noises in the city, not the bells and hymns and carols, beautiful as they are, not even the laughter of your children as they open their presents-- but Christmas itself? Have you been by yourself and just sat and listened to the silence within, patiently, without letting the mind race to the next Christmas chore? Perhaps if you have, you felt the pulse of all humanity beating in your own heart. Perhaps you noticed an outflowing of love for all your brothers and sisters on the earth, a soft sense of Oneness with all that lives. In the silence of a snowy night, listen intently, holding your breath, and you may hear snow on snow. Serene, alone, undisturbed by thought, listen to the silence in your heart, and you may hear Christmas. |
From the book Thunderbolt Blooming (1994)
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(Alan Harris)
by Alan Harris. All rights reserved.