Cyber Monday

This is the first Sunday of Advent. I can't believe that Advent is here already. Where does the time go? Advent is a really special time of year. Even the sky is different. There is nothing quite like an Advent sky. The silence, the darkness and the anticipation. The anticipation of waiting and listening.

I can't help but think about my post called Black Friday and how so many people on the food pantry lines, soup kitchens and shelters will experience so many Black Fridays and not the material kind either. They wait in lines, they wait......

On the flip side, the retail industry is also waiting. Waiting for the results of Black Friday and will wait for the results of Cyber Monday online shopping. This will probably be a indicator of how things will fare for holiday shopping.

I went to the Mall on Saturday after mass. I usually like to go at holiday time especially later in the evening to enjoy the sights and to be in the hustle and bustle of things. This time it was different. I found a parking space right in the front of Macy's. (Usually , I have to go around a couple of times to find one) There were people in the store but not quite as profoundly busy. Lots of sales clerks ready to help were standing around waiting. I observed that people were very careful on what they were spending. I was in one store when I overheard a husband/wife commenting on how much one garment cost and the wife said 'that's it were only spending $45.00' The sales clerk told me that Black Friday was really busy but today it was really slow.

I thought about this on my way home. Everyone is waiting. Waiting for food in the soup kitchens and food pantry lines. Sales Clerks waiting for a sale, the retailers waiting for a dollar amount and the country waiting for some relief. As Christians we wait too! We wait for the one who will give us hope to dispel our fears and anxieties. We wait for the light to lead us out of the darkness. We wait and we attentively listen to what speaks to our hearts. Despite the financial downturn and belt-tightening we wait in hope and in trust that things will get better.
This Advent let's prepare ourselves in waiting for who is to come.

Black Friday

Greetings and I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving with your family and friends.

It doesn't seem possible that Thanksgiving day has come and gone with all the preparation of cooking and baking to make our tables an abundant harvest from the earth. Mindful however of all those who waited in soup kitchen lines and shelters this year for a meal. Maybe they were first timers with their families who experienced a downturn financially and had no where to turn for a good Thanksgiving meal. We are lucky to have these places who serve so well the needy of our times. We thank God for those who donated their time, talent and treasure to help out.

I often think about the term 'Black Friday', and having a retail background , I know quite well it means; big dollars and cents for the retail industry. However, when I look at the people in the shelters, soup kitchen lines and food pantry lines these days,I can't help but think how many 'Black Fridays' they will experience which won't be of the material kind. I feel for all those who are having it so difficult. I pray for hope to dispel fear during these uncertain and anxious times.

Myself, I feel called to live on much less. I am disposing of all those things that I don't really need or want. I have made more trips to the Salvation Army boxes and Resettlement Refugee Donation Center. I feel free in knowing that I am sharing with others who are so less fortunate. It is a real good feeling!

What are your thoughts?

SP