Last night, one of my twins kicked the other twin in the face. Hard.
It was apparently an accident. The culprit was having fun watching an episode of ninja kids on his iPad. He was so excited about a “new trick” he learned from the show that he decided to try it right then and there. As he “hi-ya-ed” his foot forward from under his blanket, it collided with his brother’s face.
It was so interesting to see the immediate change in him from joy to terror as he watched his brother’s face start to bleed. As we treated the injured party, the culprit ran to his room to think about (and cry about) what he did.
Such a mix of emotions in one little kid. When asked about what happened, he said “I didn’t know he was there!” He was just so excited about his new trick and then just so terrified in the blink of an eye!
This weekend we celebrate the Feast of the Three Kings. In the Gospel, we read about the kings that go to visit and celebrate the birth of the Lord. Such a joyous occasion that was also filled with such trepidation. King Herod was in pursuit of Jesus and the Kings, warned in a dream about Herod’s intentions for the child, had to depart another way so Herod would not find Him. Their joy must have turned to trepidation so fast when they realized what Herod intended.
It seems in life some of the greatest blessings are also accompanied by some trepidation, some fear, some uncertainty. We all looked forward to the clocks turning from 2020 to 2021 with joy, yet we were met with trepidation about what this year might actually hold almost as soon as the celebration died down and the sun rose in January 1st.
My son was overjoyed at the learning of his new “trick” only to be filled almost instantaneously with fear at the blood spurting from his brother’s face.
Just because joy also often involves moments of trepidation or steps backward when we mean to go forward doesn’t mean we shouldn’t grab hold of it and see it for what it is. A new year is here! Christ has been born again! It won’t be perfect, but it will be beautiful because God has great things in store!
Let us rejoice!
