Here it is, the shortest day of the year, followed by the longest night. The Winter Solstice. When the sun rises tomorrow (12/22/22) it will have been reborn. But traditions old and new take their time about celebrating the new year. There's an in-between time that we are now entering. And you know, of course, that in-betwen times are the most magical of times.
Our in-between time lies here, during this darkest part of the year, between the solstice and the new calendar year on January 1st. This is a time set aside for our biggest and most well-lit celebrations of the entire year. We celebrate the return of the light, because it reminds us that darkness, however pervasive it seems, is always only temporary, and that light always prevails. We refuse to accept death as an ending. Death, like night, like winter, ends with rebirth, a new life, a day, a new year.
And so we light the darkness and we celebrate instead of grieving and wailing about it being dark. We celebrate the inevitable, unstoppable return of the light. Winter and darkness make us appreciate spring and sunshine even more.
There's a lesson in this celebrating we do. Finding reasons to celebrate during the darkest of times is how we get through those times. It's how we get to the light's return without unnecessary pain or delay. It's the path through the darkness.
But we must become the light in order to see it.
At this time of year, that's what we humans, somehow, still manage to do. It's one thing we still do right. We light the darkness with love and celebration, and oh, so much light.
Bless this long dark night. May we all add our light to the darkness and celebrate the newborn sun at dawn.