Advent - and the space between the ending and the beginning

The first Sunday of Advent is a grand and important Sunday in Sweden, no matter how churchy you are. Some people celebrate in a more secular way with mulled wine, saffron buns, friends and family, while lighting the first candle of four as a countdown to Christmas. Others attend the fairly joyful service at church or a choir concert and while the daylight disappears as early as 3pm we all need to do something to make this time of the year brighter. I did it all. I sang in the service, attended a magnificent concert and I did spend the day with friends and family. It probably is the best day of the year!

I heard two different contemplations based on the fact that this Sunday is the first one in our liturgical year. One was about endings and beginnings and the space in between. What do we do with the gap after something has ended, before something new has started? The other was about existential new years resolutions. And if I have learned something from this year, it is how lousy I am at just functioning in the space between things. I prefer schedules, plans and clarity and I avoid vagueness and blurry agreements. And sometimes I guess I miss out on things just because of that. I am so eager to make a decision that I sometimes forget that the gap also contains meaning. As if the creativity sometimes need a little space to be able to breathe. Therefore my new years resolutions will take place in the space between...

Happy Advent!