Here we are again.

Somehow there was already a purple candle aglow on the advent wreath at church today.

This doesn't bother me the way the Christmas music before Thanksgiving bothers me. The way the ceaseless Black Friday news and the quickly-filling December calendar make me edgy. But still.

But still.

But still...

BE still.

As I focused on that candle and tried to calm my mind, I had to wrestle with the noise and the nonsense that this time of year dishes out a'plenty. And knowing me, and knowing the world, I will be working on that daily from now until 2012.

Yet I know, that by doing the work, I'm going to find patches of sweetness and moments of quiet that would otherwise have passed me by.

That's one job I don't mind putting on my to-do list.

Welcome back to Advent all! Meg