The rhythm of life: a moment of joy, a time of sorrow, a grief too deep to share, and then comes mindless work or wasted days, and we think, "This is wrong. Shouldn't I be somewhere else? Isn't there something more, something other to do?"

The rain comes. It stops. The sun shines as if this were the first day. We think, "Isn't this the most perfect day that has ever been? How could I be anywhere else but here?" A fullness overflows our hearts and we are grateful.

And tomorrow will be the same, and different. Sometimes we will remember this rhythm and smile. Sometimes we will object and long to step out of tune, out of time. The rhythm is erratic, impossible. How can our lives have meaning?

And then the mist falls away. Light on dew shines everywhere. Light and darkness interplay with perfect balance. The song of our lives is music to our ears. We know we are not alone. We are meaning-filled.

And then the rain comes again. And we forget.

We think the sad times, the times of grief, mean that something is wrong, something needs fixing. "Oh quick, please, help me fix it!" But we've forgotten the rhythm.

Depression is meant to be a refrain, a quiet theme in a great masterpiece. It calls us to go deeper, to listen with more attention to the subtle details, not just because the glorious hallelujahs will sound more joyful, but because the whole of the music, its sacred meaning, unfolds in every note. And we must learn to hear them all.

So listen well to the rhythm of your life. In rich detail your sacred beauty unfolds. You are a masterpiece, every note a perfect part of the symphony that is you. And you, of course, are a part of a grand orchestration that is the universe unfolding. Hear your song. Sing it loud or quiet. And listen to the rhythm that is life.

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Rev. Kristi Denham is pastor of the Congregational Church of Belmont, California (United Church of Christ). Her email address is {email RevKristi@aol.com}RevKristi@aol.com{/email}. © Copyright 2008 by Kristi Denham.