Epiphany

In many Christian religions, today is celebrated as the Epiphany. It is a day that commemorates the incarnation of Jesus Christ, the visit of the Magi to the manger, and Jesus's childhood through his baptism by John the Baptist. I don't know why I've always loved this feast day, but the season of Christmas to me seems to conclude today, not on the 25th of December or New Year's Eve. Since I was a child the Epiphany has always reminded me of the star the Magi followed to find Jesus, and I think of cold nights in the desert and the warmth of an unlikely shelter filled with animals.

The word epiphany also means a moment of revelation or insight, in other words, a moment of enlightenment, and perhaps this is another reason why I like this day. It reminds me of something a wise woman used to tell me: "After disillusionment comes enlightenment." After the dark comes the light. What an crucial reality to remember. When we feel the shadow side of our emotions (which is important to feel), when we struggle with challenges in our lives, when we find ourselves in seasons of discontent, we can inspect the shadow, work through the challenges, live through the seasons by remembering that they, too, are fleeting moments to be embraced. After they have passed, we are sure to find the bright, the ease, the contentment...if only for yet another fleeting moment.

Life, like nature, like the seasons, is cyclical. Yes, this moment is all there is, but we know that after it has evaporated, another moment awaits. And who's to know what it holds? Each is a surprise, a mystery, a gift awaiting our presence.