“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” So Charles Dickens began his classic, A Tale of Two Cities. The novel contrasted the turmoil of the
French Revolution going on in Paris with the
relative calm of London
We have all gone through what we might consider our best
times as well as some unpleasant “worst times”.
But is it possible that, like me, you had your worst times and your best
times simultaneously, and didn’t even know it?
It can happen.
Before our children were born, my wife and I made a decision
that she would stay home with them instead of working. It was a difficult choice financially because
she brought in 60% of the household income at the time. And as our two sons arrived, a year and a half
apart, we did have some financial turmoil—our worst of times.
The picture turned its bleakest at Christmas one year as we
considered our checking account, barely double digits, and no savings for
family gifts. We still had an artificial
tree we put up each year and some ornaments passed down through our
families. But it was going to be pretty
sparse under the tree that year.
While I fretted what to buy my wife (and to compound
matters, our wedding anniversary is also in December), she seemed to have no
difficulty figuring out what to get me.
I came home one night to find several presents for me, wrapped nicely
and placed under the tree. After all my
worry, and given our financial plight, this seemed like extravagance. I became upset and chided her for spending
too much money. Her eyes moistened, and
I remember so distinctly her words and her sad, tear-choked tone, “You just
don’t understand….”
I tried not to mention the subject anymore before Christmas,
but it was sure on my mind as I fumed and thought about meeting the mortgage in
two weeks. On our anniversary, two days
before Christmas, she handed me a gift from under the tree. I unwrapped it and found a single bright,
white t-shirt. Well, that couldn’t have
cost too much. I appreciated her
frugality in giving something that I truly needed. Over the next two days, as I opened all the
gifts she had wrapped for me, it became clear what she had done. She had purchased two packages of underwear—three
t-shirts and three pairs of shorts—opened the packages and wrapped each article
separately.
I really had not understood, as she said.
So while we were having our “worst of times”, that one
incident brought home to me, albeit belatedly, that it was also the best of
times. We were laying a solid foundation
for our children, founded in love from and between their parents, and that was
worth more than a second income to us.
We started small, poor even. But
we tried to save money, live frugally and yet happily by enjoying the closeness
of family above all else. Those are
years and memories I still cherish.
Your worst of times may look very different than mine. Unemployment?
Divorce? Bankruptcy? Broken family? Whatever the loss, whatever the turmoil,
while it may appear there is nothing “best” about these times, perhaps there is
a kernel, some small glimmer in the darkness that, even if it cannot bring a
smile now, at least might become a very fond memory later. This is the season of hope, the season of
promise. And the very things that break
our hearts and our spirits now might be the fertile ground from which much
better things will spring.
A Merry Christmas to you and all those who are dear to you,
Roger
“Who dares despise the day of small things…?” Zechariah 4:10
“This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in
cloths and lying in a manger.” Luke 2:12*
*Scripture quotations taken from the Holy Bible, New
International Version® NIV®
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