This is the first of four posts designed as a guided meditation. My hope is that you will find a moment to pause and reflect upon these thoughts as your life goes “on and on” in 2016.

Inserted into the Christmas story is the appearance of three Wise Men shortly after the birth of Jesus. The Bible says that the Wise Men were “overwhelmed with joy”, but another translation says that the Magi were “thrilled and excited.” Why not? They had followed a star and hit the jackpot. The star led them to the one they believed to be the Messiah. Overwhelmed with joy! Thrilled! Excited! Living the dream! All of the above! There really are no words to describe how they must have felt at that moment, but they fell to their knees in awe and gave their gifts and hearts to the one who later became known as the Christ.

We all experience moments of overwhelming joy, moments that are thrilling and exciting, when we feel as if we are ‘living the dream.” These moments may not rise to the level of the Wise Men stumbling upon a Messiah, but we all wish we had more of them, because such moments take root in our souls. They find room in our hearts. Then, when life loses its thrill, when sadness dampens joy, excitement gives way to the “same old, same old” or a dream or two lies shattered at our feet, we can reach deep into ourselves and resurrect a “manger” moment; a moment of awe that reminds us that God is never far away, that we may stumble upon “a can’t-get-better-than-this-moment” that lies just around the corner.

For me, the most recent “it-can’t-get-better-than-this” moment was the first time I held my grandchild Samantha in my arms. I have never felt so much love and joy. It was thrilling, exciting and she was, and always will be, a dream come true.

The miracle of birth, in and of itself, is miracle beyond words that should drive us to our knees in awe. As St. Paul wrote in one of his letters, the “things that have been made” prove the existence of God. Holding Sammy in my arms for the first time provided me with the assurance that God is never far away. When the dominoes of my life are falling, I can reach into my soul and resurrect that “manger” moment and then whisper to the heavens, “My Lord and my God!”

As usual, I have no idea where you are as your life goes on and on. I do not even know who may be reading this post. What I do know is that some are grasped by the thrill of victory, while others are experiencing the agony of defeat. Most of us, however, are stuck somewhere in between the two. No matter where you are, however, when you read this post, reach into your soul and bring to mind “a-can’t-get-any-better-than-this moment.” Remember a moment of overwhelming joy when you were living the dream. Then, in awe let your heart whisper to the heavens, “My Lord and my God!”

John E. Holt, Cotuit, Massachusetts