Letting the Light In

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It’s dark outside.

 

2015 snow & shadows - sig

 

The occasional car casts shadows along my wall—its bright headlights a stark contrast to the dark around my desk.

I blink at the computer screen. It’s 4:52. I check the weather and see sunset was 4:14. So early.

I reach to flip the lamp on and hesitate. This darkness is reflecting my mood nicely. I realize it’s actually reflecting my life right now as well.

I close my laptop and sit, allowing myself to be swallowed by darkness.

I breathe deeply. I let the darkness in.

It is strangely calming, feeling the darkness in my life and inside myself.

I decide to embrace it. Knowing that tomorrow, the first day of Winter, brings light.

The Winter Solstice heralds the return of the Sun even as it seems we’re entering the dark half of the year. We’re not. Sunset will be later. Each day will hold a sliver of additional sunlight.

Having acknowledged the darkness, I will appreciate the light that much more.

While the Solstice has always been magical, tomorrow I will open myself up fully to the hope and brilliance the Sun offers.

I will let the light in.

My Sunday thoughts in 200 words or less.

ThoughtBubble

 

Dark is not a bad thing—it’s just the flip side of light. It’s also a wonderful time to contemplate (and honor the introverted, introspective hermit I am).

I wish you all a wonderful Winter Solstice, full of love, light, and maybe a wee bit of magic.
I wish you all a very happy holiday and a beautiful season of light. ❤

P.S. Happy Summer Solstice to my peeps in the southern hemisphere—where everything I’ve said is flipped on its head.

 

 

27 thoughts on “Letting the Light In”

  3. Great reflection in this post, Sarah. I’m amazed at how early your sunsets occur. The earliest our sun sets is about 5. But you probably have long evenings and twilights in summer, I guess. We don’t have much of a twilight here and it is generally dark just after 7 mid-summer. Which is now, of course – the flip-side of your winter.
    I was interested to hear you say that the solstice marks the beginning of the season. I remembering you mentioning that about summer earlier in the year as well and I meant to comment on it then, but forgot. We refer to the seasons as beginning on the first of the month: summer December 1, winter June 1, spring and autumn in between. Really the solstice should mark the mid-season, shouldn’t it, since it is the turning point? I don’t think the calendars know much about the seasons anyway. 🙂
    With a sunset at 4:14 for you or 3:53 for Charli doesn’t make for many daylight hours. How much you must appreciate the light when it returns. As you say, enjoy the darkness so you can appreciate the light. I caught your beautiful wishes for love, joy and magic, cloned them, and now send them back to you with mine added. Best wishes to you and your loved ones for the holiday season and 2016.

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    • Oh, yes. Twilight. I love twilight. There is something magical about that time of day. The “in-between” time.
      Well, the solstices and equinoxes are more scientific than cultural or religious. The winter solstice marks the first day of winter, the summer solstice marks the first day of summer. The shortest and longest day of the year, respectively. I think some countries/cultures refer to December holidays as “midwinter” celebrations. But I agree wholeheartedly with you that the calendar doesn’t know much about seasons. That’s why I love nature telling me when the seasons are changing. Here’s a quick link mentioning the solstices and the equinoxes — first days of winter, summer, spring, and autumn
      Thank you, Norah. ❤ Have a beautiful holiday!

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      • You’re right. They are more scientific. It’s just interesting that we name the seasons differently down here. I had always assumed the Northern Hemisphere was just the reverse of us, but it is not so. The names don’t alter the length of the days. Nature is the best informer. We need to listen to Nature, and the messages, more! Enjoy your winter. 🙂

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  4. Such beautiful writing.
    This I love:

    “I close my laptop and sit, allowing myself to be swallowed by darkness.

    I breathe deeply. I let the darkness in.”

    So emotive. I know this. I feel this. Have felt this.

    I love the brooding quiet of darkness, the way it engulfs everything, like a void. Yet there is that quote and I forget who it is by but “without darkness, there is no light.”

    I’ve always trod the line between light and dark, fingertips barely touching both sides.

    Happy solstice my friend. Long may the summer reign.

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    • Thanks, Sacha. ❤ I imagine you have felt this. What a gorgeous way to put it: " trod the line between light and dark, fingertips barely touching both sides." And I have always loved that quote about not having light without darkness. Thank you and have a wonderful holiday!

      P.S. I waited to reply to you because I want you to scroll down a bit — Loni sent me one of those personality tests…and the results await you. 😀 Check it out and let me know if you guessed it.

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    • Embrace the darkness! ❤ I've since read your post and it is similar. I love it. There is a lot to love about the darkness. I agree. And being (easily) able to see both the sunrise and the sunset whether you’re an early bird or a night owl…well that’s just icing. Beautiful icing.

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  6. Love your description of “slivers of light”. They are small but precious this time of year.

    We’re lucky here where we live… Sometimes the coldest, darkest days have the most beautiful sunrises, with fiery pinks and oranges in the sky. It’s a pretty good trade off for us. 🙂

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  7. Dude, you are deep. I just read your leaf post and now this one. I think it’s great how you see these things around you and apply them to your life. I’m interested… what is your personality type? Here is a personality test if you haven’t taken one before. I find the differences in people fascinating.

    Enjoy the dark. 🙂 I’ll be lurking in the shadows as a good ninja should.

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    • Haha! 😀 You’re awesome. It really is fun writing about these little observations (both around me and in my life). I am so geeky excited to take that test! I took it many years ago and don’t remember it. I’ll take it and post my results.

      I saw the tip of your boot. *tsk* Not very stealthy, my ninja friend. 😉

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      • I can totally see it. I didn’t actually expect a particular personality type, but I figured there’d be something with an F and probably a J. I like to look at this list and the titles they assign to the different types. I’m ISTJ myself.

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      • That’s fantastic! The Fulfiller and The Protector. We are Personality Super Heroes. ⭐️ (You’ve got the steampunk thing so I’ve got to think on my outfit. It must include kick-ass boots…)

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  10. Beautiful Sarah. There is nothing more I can say. Embracing both light and dark is embracing life. Certainly the way to go. We were talking over Christmas lunch about how this time of year has always been celebrated because of the solstice and we have carried on many of the pagan rituals that were in place long before Christianity. Lovely to come here and be wished Happy solstice. The same back to you and your family.

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