HandiCapable

Sorry again for the delay… I’m telling you, the last four days just aren’t as interesting to write about as the others. No secret cultural message in dancers and musicians… Music is indeed a universal language.

The ten lords a-leaping bring to my mind the image of James Marsden in “Enchanted” - my favorite role Marsden has played so far. If you’ve seen the movie, I imagine you understand what I mean, and may even be chuckling over the remembrance of it. And can you think of the famous “ten” in the Bible the lords represent? That’s right, the commandments.

The eleven pipers piping are supposed to represent the eleven faithful disciples, but they hold a deeper significance for me this year than they ever have before. Over the summer, I read the “Anne of Green Gables” series by L.M. Montgomery, and the last book, “Rilla of the Island” was my favorite. It was certainly the darkest of all the books, taking place during WWI, and following the lives of the women as their sons and brothers and husbands went to war. I confess I cried a lot. What does this have to do with the eleventh day? Well, a theme in the book is the children’s story of the Pied Piper, though it becomes twisted… the boys hear the call of the piper to go to war, and when he calls, they are compelled - almost bewitched - to follow. Even on the battlefield, in the face of certain death, they hear the call and follow. A very haunting thought, and doesn’t really fit with the merry making of the 12 days, does it? But it reminds me of the bittersweetness of life, especially as you grow up. Christmas still holds magic for me, but it also reminds me of the risk of being in relationship with people and yet the need we all have for relationship… it’s a call in our hearts to lay ourselves on the line for the sake of love and life. When that piper plays for you, will you follow? It is worth all it costs.