December 24, 2023
The ocean expanse, the sunlight dramatically breaking out of clouds . . .My initial thought: "it looks like electricity overcoming the profound darkness". Seems to me it has the elements of a metaphor. A metaphor has to do with meaning, surplus meaning and not factuality. The fact here is a sunrise over the Atlantic.
Isaiah, a Jewish prophet, spoke of "a people who sit in darkness seeing a great light". We have an abundance of "darkness" surrounding us in many manifestations ---wars, atrocities, hunger, climate crises, political, economic, fears ad nauseum
Noting the Lukean narrative of Jesus's birth in Bethlehem, the long-ago Episcopal rector, Phillips Brooks wrote that "the hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight". This year that city is devoid of traditional Christmas celebrations and "the hopes and fears" run rampant.
With Isaiah's vision in mind, dare we hope that the above picture can be a metaphor for LIGHT'S ultimately overcoming the Dark.
Satchel
There is always room for hope. Where would we be without it? However there are ominous signs on the horizon that are not going away. 2024 potentially could be a most unsettling year.
ReplyDeleteGreat insight-what's next folks-
ReplyDeletePart Two -
ReplyDeleteNevertheless dare hope we must. It is the only way.. Thankyou Dr. Wachs' for your timely message.
I find Hope from those who speak Truth. Thanks Dr. Wachs!
ReplyDeleteIt is now 2 years shy of 60 that I decided to add a minor in political science to my engineering degree. One class I took a class was called "International Relations" for which I had to purchase 7 books ... more than the sum of my other four engineering-related courses. Of those 7, 6 were on the Israel-Palestine question. I read them with great interest as it was a "hot topic" of the day - imagine that ... a class related to the here and now!
ReplyDeleteI must confess that the reading was quite depressing.
In almost 60 years, little has changed.
Powerful!
ReplyDeletebeautiful
ReplyDeleteGorgeous! It reminds me that, when I feel tired and discouraged at the end of a particularly difficult day, I will have renewed energy and life will feel different the next day when the sun rises.
ReplyDelete~RS