There is an old-time hymn that shares the title of today's posting: I Surrender All. Some hymns have the copyright date listed, this one does not. One of the hymnals that I located the hymn in is copyrighted 1939 so it has been around for a while. No offense to those who love this hymn, but it is not a favorite of mine. I respect the lyrics and find meaning in the words but the melody is a little sugary and sappy for my personal taste and I've known some pastors who have used the syrupy nature of this hymn to manipulate parishioners.
Having said all that, the lyrics of this hymn came to mind this morning as I was thinking of my fellow 'sisters' during these Holly Daze. I know of four women who, this week, have mentioned in one way or another (none complained) about everything they were trying to accomplish this weekend or had accomplished over the past week. Two of these 'sisters' have jobs outside the home, two have HUGE jobs in the home. Three have children, one does not. But, to a woman, the universal clarion call was the shot heard 'round the world during the Holly Daze: I must accomplish......I must accomplish......I must accomplish.
Accomplish what and to whose standards, I feel compelled to ask?
I think of Mary, mother of the Baby Jesus. The story, that many know so well, lets us know that she had to 'surrender all'. She had to surrender to the government who declared that a census must be taken, she had to surrender to Joseph, the man who would be known as the earthly father of Jesus, as she trusted him to get her safely to the town where he had to report, and, according to the beloved story, she had to surrender herself to the donkey that would carry her on their journey. Talk about surrendering! Mary did not have the luxury of deciding what gift to buy where, which cookie recipes and how many cookies to prepare, and what to serve for the big Christmas-day feast.
Maybe, for the sake of our collective sanity, we 'sisters' could consider surrendering something, if not all. Just maybe we could surrender creating the perfect gift-wrapping look, or surrender two of the six cookie recipes we absolutely must bake, or surrender purchasing the perfect gift for each of our child's teachers and write a simple thank you note instead?
Wouldn't everyone, men and women alike, be less stressed during the Holly Daze, if we didn't look and act like we are in a Holly Daze?
Surrender most of 'it', if not all of 'it'. Find your inner child. Sit in the dark and just 'be'. Listen to your favorite music, even if the music plays only in your head. We'll all recognize each other. We'll be the only adults smiling.
Ancora imparo
