Today marks the second Sunday of Advent. Advent is all about waiting, and waiting often involves mixed emotions. Waiting is so hard to do in any season of life, and in any age. Perhaps it is most difficult today in an instant gratification culture, where “we want the world, and we want it now” (Jim Morrison, lyrics to “When the Music’s Over,” The Doors). No matter how young or how old, it is difficult to wait and cope with mixed emotions. This post recounts the events surrounding John the Baptist’s birth, the mixed emotions associated with it, and its bearing on our lives today.