for Claudia’s prompt at dVerse poets’ pub . It also fits with Samuel Peralta’s prompt to write a 55-word poem.
ADVENT
Anxiety of mothers,
stress over lists
gifts for children
jobs to do.
Anticipation
expectation
excitement
of children.
Worries about food,
struggle with decorations,
and lights
for the tree.
Contentious relations
packing their bags,
coming to stay
Where is the Christ child
in all this agitation?
Waiting patiently to be recognised,
to come into our lives.
Vivinfrance's Blog 
Advent has always meant very much to me… While much of Christmas has been co-opted by Amazon (another “A”) and Walmart and the retail industry, Advent still retains that spiritual essence. Thanks for sharing this, it put into words much of what I myself feel.
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perhaps boxing day is when everyone breathes again and finds a kind of peace =)
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Trying to do everything for others leaves out that inner urge for the spirit. You set this up beautifully.
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you got it… caught my grand (age 6) smiling at today’s fresh snowfall as I viewed my frown in the mirror
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It is overwhelming if we let it be…hard to not get caught up in traffic, stay on a schedule…I agree…less preparation and more enjoyment of simple ways to celebrate…nicely written;)
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Yup, sounds like my life at the moment – which is ridiculous, as my fondest Christmas memories as a child were of a walk in a winter wonderland or baking in the kitchen or decorating the tree with home-made decorations. Nothing to do with money, all about family and love.
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Advent is felt differently by different generations. The bulk though still falls on mother’s shoulders together with the inherent worries! Nicely Viv!
Hank
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Advent is too much about the preparations, and workload so uneavenly distributed.. Quite a contrast in how it’s felt.
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I try not to get overly excited. It is just impossible to live up to such expectations. Thanks for staying it all so succinctly . K.
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Where indeed! It is so important, though, admitedly harder than it might seem, to keep the correct focus with all the frizzle-frazzle of the holidays. Very Nice Reminder 🙂
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This is a good reminder, Viv…well said. 🙂
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The purpose of Christ sure does get lost in all the preparation. It’s so easy to get lost in the getting. Nice reminder, thanks!
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It is always good to receive a sweet reminder about Christmas, which is itself a Nordic, Germanic, Judean hybrid, with spindly-legged camels & kings rubbing hooves with Scandinavian reindeer & fir trees from the Black Forest, where a saint adopts elves & presses them into servitude; nothing linear, but heartfelt regardless.
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It is sad that some people do ‘lip service’ to the season rather than thinking about truly what the spirit of the season is and living by it.
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yes i think at times it is waiting to be invited into our busy lives….we fill it with so many things otherwise…ha…i got a few relations that may fit that bill as well…smiles.
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The mixed feelings and anxieties are quite palpable in your poem, until the last stanza. Then you remind us what out focus and energy should focus on.
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yes… in all the hectic and preparation we often forget what the reason for christmas really is…
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