EPIPHANY 2021

Photo from Unsplash.

I.

My children watched My Little Pony and leapt from 
couch to couch while I watched insurrection on a 

cell phone screen. I picked at the blue nail polish 
on my nails, handed out snacks and answered 

questions about robots. Elected leaders hid under 
desks and armed men freely roamed the halls of the Capitol.

I toggled back and forth between two worlds-- one of safety 
and magic, where goodness always wins, and then back to

this one (the real one?) where violence has been a long time coming.
It was that blue nail polish holding my focus. Remnants lay

in flakes and ragged chips on my carpet.

II.
I told the kids it was finally time to put away the Christmas decorations.
Suddenly the air was filled with tearful goodbyes to favorite ornaments,

shuddering sobs, and requests for pictures to remember
the beautifulness of Christmas.

Tired, overwhelmed and sad, watching the clock tick toward 
bedtime, I sat and drew pictures, my son in my lap.

Maybe they are right to mourn some loss of beautifulness today.

III.
Today we remember the revelation of God’s presence on earth
was entrusted to foreign travelers. We remember the desire to clutch 

at power has long led to mass murder. We remember destruction will not 
have the final say. Today, we look for the revelation of God

here and now. He will not be found among the violent mob, but 
with the tired, scared, lonely mother fleeing to safety, afraid 

for the life of her child.