“There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, arts, civilizations – these are mortal, and their life is to our as the life of a gnat. But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub and exploit – immortal horrors or everlasting splendors. This does not mean that we are to be perpetually solemn. We must play. But our merriment must be of that kind (and it is, in fact, the merriest kind) which exists between people who have, from the outset, taken each other seriously—no flippancy, no superiority, no presumption." C.S. Lewis.
Let's face it. Even though Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year, Christmas can also be a time when people drive us crazy. Perhaps it is the brother who refuses to be much of a brother to you. Perhaps it is an awkward (or worse) relationship with a parent. Maybe it is the obnoxious Uncle.
The quote above reminds us, however, that there are no ordinary people, that each person is an immortal child of God. You will be having Christmas dinner with immortals. It will be an immortal who gave you that...gift. It is an immortal who will be sitting next to you in church.
It is not always easy to see that. My prayer is that you are able to remember that this season, when you ready to wring someone's neck. May your celebrations this year be merry celebrations, without flippancy, superiority, or presumption.
I love the connection between immortality and play (and a similar case may be made for our work). It's so important to take the people more seriously then the circumstances.
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