This week we did Star Words for Epiphany. It’s a ritual where we each draw a star out of a basket, each star having a word printed on it. The words are meant to guide us in our faith over the year. Sort of a mystery we have to attend to and figure out as we journey in faith. It is rooted in the imagery of the wisemen being guided by a star to find Jesus.
I got the list of words years ago on a church website. I cut out stars in preparation every year. This year, for folks who were joining us online, I borrowed (with permission) an online star word generator that a colleague created. During children’s time we talked about the star words and then we each drew a word. I got Cheerfulness. Then, as the children handed out the rest of the words to the people in the sanctuary, I added the link to our FB live and clicked to make sure it worked. I got cheerfulness, again. What are the odds?
When I first drew Cheerfulness I was annoyed. I think because people often tell me I’m cheerful in sort of a must not be smart or deep or thoughtful kind of way. Cheerfulness is for Santa and cheerleaders and people out of touch with reality. When I was really sick years ago people didn’t take my pain or suffering seriously because I “seemed so cheerful”. Cheerfulness is surface gloss. So then when I got it again on the online generator I was really annoyed. And then I thought it was funny. God has a wonderful sense of humor and was maybe telling me I really did need to pay attention to this terrible word. I was tempted to get a second word when we did Star Words at Dessert Church later that night, but it felt like I had already been given my word twice and seeking out another would be refusing the challenge of this hated word. So now I get to sit with cheerfulness for a year.
Like all good Gen Xers I started by googling cheerfulness. Two things stood out. The first is that the second definition listed was the quality of causing happiness. The example was the cheerfulness from a fire. I can totally get behind being one that brings joy or happiness to others. The other was that the peak usage of the word cheerfulness was in the late 1810’s and early 1820’s, but there has been a slight resurgence in the past couple of years. The Era of Good Feelings, as the period after the war of 1812 is known, was a time when the US was united in a sense of purpose and connection. Maybe right now we are longing for that. In this time of incredibly deep division politically and continued suffering from the pandemic we really long for good feelings like purpose, unity, connection, and even, perhaps, cheerfulness. The main definition of which is the quality or state of being noticeably happy and optimistic. Which is what I hope for all of us in 2022.
I’m not sure where God is guiding me with my cheerfulness star. And I’m pretty sure I still don’t like being told I’m cheerful. But maybe I’m being called to cheerfulness in community, to help our church and world radiate warmth like a fire in times that are cold and difficult. We’ll see. Until then I’ll be waiting to see what God’s humor reveals anew.
-Eilidh
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