kataluma

During the Christmas season I read Beginnings and Endings [and What Happens in Between], Maggi Dawn's book of advent to epiphany reflections. She writes (for January 4th) on the borrowed rooms at the beginning and end of Jesus' life. Luke uses the same word (kataluma) for the inn where Mary gave birth and for the upper room, where Jesus celebrated Passover with the disciples. January 4th was the first day in which I really faced the new year, cleaning my resume again, looking for work, and applying for jobs. It was an overwhelming day and I reached the end stressed about my lack of direction, lack of security and feelings of inadequacy. It was good to be reminded that Jesus came into the world with nothing, and left it thirty some years later with nothing.

I don't take this to mean that I will have to go through life with nothing but reflecting on Maggi Dawn's words I had some sense of a smile from God, of a trusting way to be in the world. This was something.

And, in a way that is a bit of a mystery to me, the quote from the Tempest reinforced this. Of all actors, I think I associate John Gielgud most strongly with Shakespeare.