This past Sunday in worship, I shared about this word. It is new to me, and I discovered it in a poem by Lebanese-American author Moudi Sbeity. It means “fresh hope” or “recovery from despair.” November continues to unfold, and we see Thanksgiving and Advent just around the corner. My prayer for you is that the season ahead is one of fresh hope. As Sbeity explains in his poem (below), respair is also an active verb. And so, we can participate in the work of respair. Which is to say, helping places of despair recover and being a loving presence to people in despair. Such work can seem daunting because we often assume our gestures must be dramatic and grand and fix everything all at once. But often the most important, respairing comes in simple but meaningful gestures. A small act of kindness. Paying for the person behind you in line at the coffee shop, no matter their bumper stickers. Thinking of someone who has had a difficult experience—such as the loss of a loved one—and sending them a note just to say you are thinking of them. Delivering gift cards to school teachers. The work of respair is centered in service to others. It also includes service to one’s self. Maybe fresh hope for you looks like doing something that fills you with joy and peace. Maybe it’s taking a walk and noticing what you notice. In the words of Sbeity, may it be our “natural disposition to pull a thread of light through the mud of living.”
What a joy to be your pastor!
Teresa
