View From the Legislature

There is a great deal of expectation when it comes to Christmas. All around us, from the lights to the special Christmas programs, we see signs that this is a special time of the year. And with that often comes a great deal of anticipation.

That anticipation is most clearly seen this time of year in children. From decorating Christmas trees to family gatherings and then finally to Christmas morning, every part of Christmas can be special to a child. The expectation and anticipation that we see in children makes this time of the year wonderful.

As we get older, that expectation and anticipation changes but is still present. Much of what makes this time of the year so busy is the preparation for gatherings and other special occasions that seem to be reserved for Christmas. That anticipation is heightened by the traditions that many families create for themselves to practice and participate in yearly. For those that have grandchildren, the anticipation is often around having all of the family together in one place.

Sadly, for many, Christmas time can also be filled with sorrow. The expectation isn’t one of joy or family but perhaps the painful reminder of the loss of a loved one or of financial or physical struggle.

Advent, which is generally recognized as the four Sundays in advance of Christmas, is often considered as the season of expectation and the anticipation of Jesus Christ’s birth and second coming. The very first Christmas would not have met the expectation of many of the time who would not have been anticipating the birth of Christ in a manger in Bethlehem. And yet, in that unexpected place was born the miracle of Christmas.

Sometimes the things we anticipate fail to meet our expectations. Often the small things in life or the big things in life just don’t turn out the way we had planned or hoped. They fail to meet our expectations. For that reason, Christmas can be a time that is filled with many emotions. It can be a time of great joy or great sadness. And yet the core message of Christmas and the hope that it represents hasn’t changed. Perhaps it is for that reason that at this time of the year so many people are motivated to want to help one another, creating a feeling that isn’t replicated at any other time of year.

I hope that your heart and your home are filled with the expectation of joy and peace as Christmas approaches. For those that are feeling sorrow and the expectation of Christmas is low, may the miracle of the first Christmas, which defied all the expectations of the time, touch you and bring you comfort now and throughout the New Year.

Together with my wife Kim and my son Malachi, we wish each of you a Merry Christmas and a New Year that is filled with the anticipation and expectation of many good things to come.