Out-of-the-Way But not Forgotten
Houses, buildings
and places which are off by themselves have sometimes gained a reputation all
of their own. By their very remoteness they draw our attention. One of the
oldest structures in the Talbot Settlement is a stone house off Quaker Road. It
is on private property and not visible from the road. Curiosity seekers sometimes
hang around at the farm gate or wander onto the property. As kids new to a
neighbourhood, on the escarpment in Hamilton, the lumbering old farm house incorporated
in a cul du sac was different from the other houses. We told each other there
were ghosts there. The Mackenzie Estate in Gatineau, the Hermitage in Ancaster
Ontario or Santa's workshop at the North Pole have their allure. Places that
are remote take on their own mystic.
These
remote places too are like lights on a hill, they have their own glow and
renown about them; they are begging to be visited and distinguished and never
forgotten. Remote places may take on an exotic tone in the lives of people and
communities. The shepherds who were told to look for a stable and a special
manger were probably no different in understanding that remote places are
places that should be sought and distinguished for their renown. The shepherds
were not adventures who in our own day want to visit remote places
like Antarctica or a high mountain top and be able to tell of something few
have experienced, the shepherds were on a mission of renown and witness few
would ever experience. We find ourselves every Advent stepping in the footsteps
of these shepherd pilgrims.
The
stories of Advent and Christmas take hold of us in different ways. Christians understand
the importance of the Creche scene, a remote scene in which the Christ was born.
The Creche is a story of faith and humanity. People who are not
Christians also have an understanding of it that pulls on their hearts in
different ways. They understand the need to seek out remote places because they
know it holds understanding for who they are as people. So this Christmas let's
unlock the meaning of the Creche scene for everyone and uncover it as a place
of pilgrimage not just for Christians but for everyone who understands that there
are special places that resonate with our hearts that need to be discovered and
never forgotten. These remote places bring us closer to our hearts as a source
of light that brings us to a deeper realization of ourselves and the world we
inhabit.
