Dark
December
“I heard
a bird sing in the dark of December
A magical
thing. And sweet to remember.
We are
nearer to Spring than we were in September.
I heard a
bird sing in the dark of December.”
Oliver
Herford
The Thanksgiving plates
have barely been cleared away, and here we are, heading into December
with its bouquet of holidays. This time of year one can feel the
tension rise—see it in the traffic, at the malls, in the grocery
stores. People feel equal parts anticipation and anxiety with gifts
to buy, food to cook, parties and numerous religious services to
attend, menorah candles to light for the seven days of Hanukkah and
seven unity candles for Kwanzaa. And, of course, there will be Winter
Solstice mid-month, and New Year's Eve at the end. It's a busy, busy
month.
I feel like someone who
climbs a tall tree so I can look past all the madness and see the
Spring that waits beyond. Winter is not my season. December is not my
month. Every year, I try to create little rituals to help me enjoy
the season, appreciate the cold, honor the darkness, and celebrate
the birth of Jesus-the-Light. In other words, I try to make it about
the time of year, the grace of God, and not about shopping. I'm
mostly unsuccessful. The collective energy is so strong that it pulls
me in like a vortex. I feel the anxiety and anticipation just like
everyone else.
As the days shorten this
month, as the snow piles up in parts of the world, as the tension
rises, the traffic snarls, and tempers roil, remember this—it's
temporary. Here are some things to observe that make the season a
delight: the light increases each day beginning on the 22nd,
camellias and paper-white narcissus bloom, holly berries turn bright
red, and best of all, Spring gets closer each day. We can do this! We
can make it through the month of darkness because we know a bright
light is coming. Wait and watch for it. Count the minutes and days.
That's the true meaning of Advent—the season of waiting with
anticipation. That's what I'm doing. I'm waiting for the light. How
about you?
In the Spirit,
Jane
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