Among the crudest responses one can make in civil discourse is to say, when confronted with dissent, "Oh, but I didn't mean it that way."

Crude, inelegant, and just not all that bright. And yet.

Oh, but I didn't mean it like that. I heard from two pals, one in an e-mail and one in a comment, shortly after making my last post, each expressing an appreciation for Advent in such a way that made me reread my post and think, "Egads! I've left out a few nouns or verbs or perhaps even an entire paragraph somewhere."

I don't know what went wrong only that something did, for I adore Advent in ways large and small and regret falling down so thoroughly on the job of defending the honor of a season I find so pleasing.

Onward.