This is no time for a child to be born,
And a comet slashing the sky to warn
That time runs out & the sun burns late.
That was no time for a child to be born,
In a land in the crushing grip of Rome;
Honor & truth were trampled to scorn—
Yet here did the Savior make His home.
When is the time for love to be born?
The inn is full on the planet earth,
And by a comet the sky is torn—
Yet Love still takes the risk of birth.
The Risk of Birth -- Madeleine L'Engle
I have felt mildly "under the weather" recently, both in body and spirit. It could be a variant of SAD (no, not Omicron) but I've decided it is actually a case of persistent Groundhogday-itis. In these days of wan light and dusk which seems to arrive just after dawn we're dealing with more of the same when it comes to the pandemic.
COVID numbers are on the rise, even in regions which have previouslyfared well. There is a highly contagious variant which is giving us the heebie-jeebies. Lots of us are eligible for a booster -- hurray! Yet its just as hard to book an appointment for one as it was for our first shot nine months ago. We're being cautioned to limit the Christmas gatherings in our homes and congregations are wondering what to do as well.
Some days I look at the response of governments in our affluent, supposedly technologically advanced society and ask what they have learned during the past two years. As with the film Groundhog Day, we keep repeating the patterns which have made us all so weary. It's all scramble and snakes and ladders.
I will take yet another deep breath and remind myself that this season of Advent leads us toward the light of Christ in the midst of gloom and darkness. And that the improbability of the Incarnation, God-with-us, is not all warm and fuzzy. Ya, I'm grumpy about being kicked off the vaccination website after a long wait, but waiting is part of the season we're told.
Because I can't be an Advent anti-vaxxer I'll reread Madeleine L'Engle's The Risk of Birth and see if I can book a booster jab of Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love. I know they're out there, if I'm patient. Oh yes, the Winter Solstice, then lengthening days, are only a week away.
I had just emailed my sisters with the same complaint - how difficult it is to book a booster. With enough people out there not getting vaccinated - and thereby allowing this virus to mutate - you would think the government would be making it easier to book shots by now. Why give people a chance to opt out of vaccination due to frustration?
ReplyDeleteInterestingly enough... I booked the booster for Bev and I through the Ontario site, that brought me to the Durham Region health site... It was surprisingly easy. We're booked for Dec 22.
ReplyDeleteI'm disheartened by the folks refusing to be innoculated. I sadly know three different people that I care for, who won't get the vaccine. I'm sure to themselves, the reasoning is sound. Those people I can only speak to through remote means. And I've had to refuse numerous asks to get together. It's just far too dangerous to allow in this climate.
There are plenty of openings in Cobourg now Roger -- get on that computer! We are booked there with the hope of finding shots locally.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad to hear that you and Bev have jabs booked now Bagel -- or should I call you Adam?
We too know a number of people who refuse to be vaccinated, to their peril and that of others. We're grateful that none are in our immediate family but some we know won't spend time with loved ones because it is just too risky.
Stay healthy and wise -- the wealthy part may elude us.
Yes, our friends in Cobourg have been bragging about the availability of the shots. However, we're now near Picton and apparently there's nothing here. We may end up making the trip to Cobourg.
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