I have learned to be intrigued by the shadows of my life, Lord.
The stronger the light, the deeper the shadow.
I have come to realize there will always be shadows.
I must accept the shadows of my life as well as the light; they will just always be there.
And so I now pause for a moment when a shadow greets me;
and take in its beauty.
Teach me to stop and be confronted, to be changed, by them.
This day, Lord, help me to realize what the shadows of my life can teach me
about You and Your great love for me.
Bob Traupman
priest / writer
Editors note: This was my very first blog post on December 5, 2007. I had two priests write me back and say: “Thank you, Bob.”
I pay a lot of attention to shadows in my photography. When there’s interesting light, there’s also interestng shadow. You can’t have one without the other. I published this one the other day.
It’s “both / and.”
That’s the way life is.
Carl Jung in psychology got us to pay attention to the Shadow side of life.
If we deny it’s there, we’re in trouble.
If we embrace our Shadow, make friends with it,
we become whole.
With love,
Bob Traupman
priest / writer
Father Bob's Reflections 
Father Bob:
With all of the media and general public messaging these days which replace “Christmas” with “Holidays”, I found it most refreshing last night to find one PUBLIC place that is desperately trying to keep Christ in Christmas.
I am in Stone Mountain Family Campground just outside Atlanta,Georgia, for the SEC Championship game between the Florida Gators and the Alabama Crimson Tide.
GO GATORS!
Last night, we toured the Stone Mountain Park lavishly decorated for the Christmas season. At one play, the story of Jesus’ birth was dramatically played out…extremely well done. At another, a story teller told of the true meaning of Christmas in such a way that the little kids in attendance clearly understood the story line. At the laser light show on the face of Stone Mountain, “Christmas” was the idea, not a “holiday”.
Throughout Stone Mountain Park, the theme is “Merry Christmas”, not “Happy Holidays” and I, for one of many, was very pleased to see it all!
God Bless You for your continued writing and sharing. I just thought you’d like to know that the entire world isn’t going to hell in a hand basket!
Merry Christmas!
Ray