Winter Solstice
When you fail, and are defeated, and in pain, and in the dark, then I hope you will remember that darkness is your country, where you live, […] where the future is. Our roots are in the darkness; the earth is our country. What hope we have lies there. […] Not from above, but from below. Not in the light that blinds, but in the dark that nourishes, where human beings grow human souls. – Ursula K. Le Guin
Today, in the northern hemisphere, daylight begins to increase. Our days are no longer getting shorter, and while this change may be imperceptible for a while, we know that we have turned a corner.
I am not one to complain about short days, despite the summer solstice being my favorite time of year. I like the extremes. I am fascinated by December. As active as I am in the summer months (bike riding, kayaking swimming), I also like being indoors during the winter. I have ice-skated already this year, and I often take long walks in the woods. I await a good dump of snow so I can get my cross-country skis out. But, despite finding ways to be outdoors, there is still a lot of time inside during these cold dark months of winter.
I take great pleasure in my Christmas tree. I will bake holiday cookies this weekend. Our daughter and her boyfriend will spend a few days with us this week. Despite the losses in our immediate and extended family, we will laugh. I am grateful for the people who remain in my life.
I’ve been reading a lot, during these cold dark weeks, and I exercise indoors (yoga, weight-training, Pilates) most days. I occasionally stream movies. These quiet, at-home activities suit me this time of year. And I will welcome a chance to vary my routines when our house guests arrive.
How do you spend your leisure time during the winter months? Do you embrace the solstice or do you count the days until the spring equinox? Are you more of an equinox or solstice person? It would be nice to hear from you in the comment section below.
I will leave you with a Celtic blessing, the one I read to Colleen when she was an infant. (I read the Ursula Le Guin quote, at the start of this post, when we buried her ashes seven years ago.) This blessing is not necessarily meant to be read during the winter holidays, but it works for any time of year. The theme of returning light brings it to mind now.
May the blessing of Light be with you always,
Light without and light within.
May the sun shine upon you and warm your heart
Until it glows like a great fire
So that others may feel the warmth of it.
And may the light of your eyes
Shine like two candle lights
In a window at night bidding the wanderer
To come in out of the dark and the cold.
And may the blessings of the rain be upon you.
The sweet and tender rain,
May it fall upon your spirit
As when flowers spring up and fragrance fills the air.
And may the blessings of the great rain
Wash you clean and fair,
And may the storms always leave you stronger
And more beautiful.
And when the rains are over
May there be clear pools of water
Made beautiful by the radiance of your Light,
As when a star shines beautiful in the night
Pointing the way for all of us.
I do not tolerate the extremes of nature or otherwise. That is not to say that I don’t enjoy an occasional thunderstorm, blizzard, or raging sea. I even like a good argument now and then. But I prefer the spring and fall equinox, my small group of cherished friends, a wind that keeps the sails trimmed, and a bit of travel excitement.