“How did it get so late so soon? It’s night before it’s afternoon. December is here before it’s June. My goodness how the time has flewn. How did it get so late so soon?”  Dr. Seuss

Time flies for us as we get older, well maybe it always did.  Advent is the season before the end of a calendar year and as we close out one year, we reflect on all of our experiences.  The year 2015 will go down in my books as a year of great change and there were times when I had feelings of being rejected, that I had failed, and I did not really know where I was going.  You see in February of 2015, I was laid off from a job that I had for nearly 10 years.  Truth is I was not happy with my job.  I really needed a push to something better.

Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened.
-Dr. Seuss

I was reminded Sunday on how important it is during the dark periods like my February to March 2015, to do some “work of the soul.” Reverend Michael Brown, the Senior Minister from Marble Collegiate Church reminded us all that there are three things to do during Advent so you are ready when Christmas comes:  work of the soul, work of service to others, and work of self-examination.

My “work of the soul” after losing my job included thinking about what I wanted to do next, fixing some things I needed to, and turning down an extension for that same job I was laid off from and to jump into the unknown.  Why stay where I was not happy?  I needed to do some “work of the soul.”  When you see something in yourself that you do not like, fix it.  I am not sure where I found this quote, but it was my motto during the unknown, “taking a step backward after taking a step forward is not a disaster, it’s more like a Cha-Cha.” unknown.

The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.
-Dr. Seuss

Here are some favorites to look up to help you with your “work of the soul.” Life lessons can come from unusual places:

1.  Horton Hears A Who! (1954)
2.  On Beyond Zebra (1955)
3.  The Cat in the Hat (1957)
4.  How The Grinch Stole Christmas (1957)
5.  Yertle The Turtle And Other Stories (1958)
6. The Lorax (1971)
7. My Many Colored Days (1996)
8. Great Day For Up (1974)

You can get help from teachers, but you are going to have to learn a lot by yourself, sitting alone in a room.
-Dr. Seuss

But here is the quote that I really needed to hear during my period of darkness and the unknown:

Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.
-Dr. Seuss

For many of us, Dr. Seuss was a staple of our childhood’s, but I think we can have a better appreciation of the depth of his work as adults.  Search for some books from Dr. Seuss this Advent.  His work will make you laugh, think and will inspire you in this dark time to do the “soul-work” you need to do.  

Advent coincides with the darkest days of the year, but remember the light and promise of a birth is coming to this world.  Soon.

Shared by Marcie Doll