Our first grandchild was born recently—so many times during her birth, I thought of Mary with awe.  You see, my daughter was supposed to be at the hospital bright and early on a Tuesday morning.  Upon arrival, they found there was no room for them.  After being shuffled around many times, they finally were settled in a triage area to labor. 

Now, this is in no way as difficult as I imagine Mary had it, but my mother’s heart was feeling the emotional struggle of my daughter. I can imagine Mary was feeling so many of the same feelings my daughter was in those moments.

Both my daughter and Mary, in the end, gave birth to strong, healthy babies, and that is where the connection would end. 

The darkness of difficult labor ended in the birth of exceptional children.   I am sure both mothers, in the end, forgot about the problematic beginning as soon as they gazed into the eyes of their children.

May we take this advent season to gaze:  into the eyes of our children, into the eyes of our families, into the season of COVID-19, we are all living in.  There is beauty there.  We just need to keep our eyes open to it.

Shared by Tena Bos