[at-l] Christmas Eve

[delita@mindspring.com (Delita Wright)]

Lynn this is beautiful! I'm sharing it with my mother (a writer) who will enjoy
it as much as I did.

I was walking home last night just after dark, experiencing the *quieting* of
our world.  The last few cars and folks rushing around,  dashing through
increasing lulls in the traffic, church parking lots instead of shopping center
parking lots overflowing with huddled cars waiting patiently for their people
to return.

Just last month I was in Israel and struck by the once-a-week quiet.  Our
country used to do that.  What a treat it is to see us quiet down, at least one
time each year.

And the quiet wraps around me each time I step into the woods, even for a brief
day hike.  I get a hundred yards or two, maybe a quarter-mile in, and suddenly
- the quiet reaches me.  And I exhale.  I'm home.

Maybe it's the quiet we need even more than the hiking?  And the peace in our
hearts, our homes, our world could do for us all what hiking does for us few.

Shalom and joyous Christmas to all!
Delita

Lynn Setzer wrote:

> I live in the city limits...my Christmas Eve is composed of different
> things....churches with steeples pushing into the blue, night-time sky,
> traffic lights governing the flow even when there isn't any, streetlights
> blinding out the stars.
>
> Last night as darkness fell, I was struck by how quiet my town finally
> became.  For once, since last year this time I suppose, no one was rushing
> about...no cars flying by the house, no hot-rodder sans-muffler types
> whizzing by.  The quiet reminded me of one of the major reasons I love to
> hike, on the AT or anywhere else:  it's quiet out there.   Nothing but the
> world and me, at peace with one another.  I could even see the stars beyond
> the streetlights.
>
> Merry Christmas, ya'll!
>
> Lynn
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Bob Cummings" <ellen@clinic.net>
> To: <at-l@mailman.backcountry.net>
> Sent: Monday, December 24, 2001 10:52 PM
> Subject: [at-l] Christmas Eve
>
> > Ah. It's been a busy three weeks. Fighting the new battle of Saddleback
> > (400-foot high Wind Turbines), putting out three tabloids for
> environmental and
> > trail groups, getting ready for Christmas with a large extended family
> (six of
> > us survive, and are still close friends at ages 63-75, plus numerous
> spouses,
> > children and grandchildren.
> >
> >  But I managed to take the winter solstice off. I wandered about our 700
> acres
> >  of land trust acquisitions: saw a fresh clearcut from beaver activity,
> and the
> >  start of a new beaver lodge; enjoyed the beauty of a fresh snow; and
> inspected
> >  a new trail. The weather was not great -- heavy clouds and a light snow
> made
> >  photography difficult. But I shot up a 36-exposure roll anyway. And was
> pleased
> >  enough with the results to send an illustrated solstice message to our 20
> >  directors. The wonders of computers. And of small towns. I took the
> letters to
> >  the post office at 8 a.m. and was assured, all would be delivered today.
> >
> >  It rained most of today--destroying dreams that the snow of solstice day
> would
> >  survive long enough for a white Christmas. But we went to Christmas Eve
> >  services anyway -- in the tiny church built in 1802 that I can see from
> my
> >  living room window. My wife left a half hour early. She's a member of the
> >  church " Belles" -- who ring tuned bells on Christmas eves and sundry
> other
> >  occasions.
> >
> >  I'm not a Christian. My mind can't accept angels from heaven urging
> shepards to
> >  attend a "virgin" birth, among other things. But tears inched down my
> cheeks,
> >  as it always does for some reason, when we lighted candles and sang
> "Silent
> >  Night."
> >
> >  Regardless. As I told my directors, "Best Wishes for the holiday season
> and the
> >  new year."
> >
> >  Weary
> >
> >
> >
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--
Delita Wright
Chapel Hill, NC

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>> pray for the peace of Jerusalem