We enter this place of worship to find sanctuary from life's hard winds. Even as our bodies have been confronted with the icy blasts of a winter storm, our spirits are assailed by the demands of life and death. While winds whirl about us devastating trees and homes, our life troubles swirl around us, testing us to the very core.
Our temptation is always to find refuge,
To seek escape from the howling gales,
To find the warm hearth and the cozy nook.
We need, from time to time, to thaw our wintry spirits.
In our wiser moments, however, we know there are times
When there is no escape;
We must face up into the wind and move ahead,
Leaning forward into the gale
No matter how chill the air.
We know the tree that survives bends, but does not break,
We know that we, too, will survive if we yield from time to time to whatever the winds bring; knowing when to brave the storm, when to seek refuge, when to help our comrades keep their balance, and when we need them to help us maintain ours.
We know, too, that buffeting by hard winds can strengthen our resolve, refresh our souls and help us know we are alive.
Let the winds blow, then, let them blow.
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