Light & Hope at Midwinter

In many cultures, past and present, February 1st is a promise of release from the dreary darkness and bitter cold of winter. Beneath the frozen earth, life stirs. This midwinter celebration, halfway between the first day of winter and the first day of spring, gives us hope.

Like watching your children grow, you look up one morning and say, “When did you get so tall?” Those extra minutes of sunlight each day since the Winter Solstice have accumulated. Lift your eyes, look around, become aware of the light. The lengthening of days is a slow process—but the change is now noticeable.

The pressure to set goals, reflect on last year, or make resolutions to better ourselves is associated with the calendar New Year.

The first day of February offers a fresh start. It is about new beginnings. It brings knowledge that the seeds we planted are deep within—there is life underneath the frost and snow. These plants will soon break through the soil, reaching and growing.

Trust that there is life in the darkness and there you will find hope.

My random thoughts in 200 words or less.

Health & happiness to you, my friends. 💖

Light & Hope at Midwinter

 

 

In many cultures, past and present, February 1st is a promise of release from the dreary darkness and bitter cold of winter. Beneath the frozen earth, life stirs. This midwinter celebration, halfway between the first day of winter and the first day of spring, gives us hope.

Like watching your children grow, you look up one morning and say, “When did you get so tall?” Those extra minutes of sunlight each day since the Winter Solstice have accumulated. Lift your eyes, look around, become aware of the light. The lengthening of days is a slow process—but the change is now noticeable.

The pressure to set goals, reflect on last year, or make resolutions to better ourselves is associated with the calendar New Year.

The first day of February offers a fresh start. It is about new beginnings. It brings knowledge that the seeds we planted are deep within—there is life underneath the frost and snow. These plants will soon break through the soil, reaching and growing.

Trust that there is life in the darkness and there you will find hope.

 

My random thoughts in 200 words or less.

 

Health & happiness to you, my friends. ❤

 

People are like stained-glass windows…

 

 

“People are like stained-glass windows.
They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within.”

~ Elisabeth Kübler-Ross

 

 

It’s easy to sparkle and shine when there’s light in your life. When you reflect what external sources provide.

There is beauty in a stained-glass window as sun gleams off it.

It’s more difficult when life is cold and dark. When you must rely on your internal flame.

Oh, the breathtaking beauty of a stained-glass window that glows in darkness.

Light yourself a candle, gentle readers.

 

 

 

My Sunday thoughts in 200 words or less.

Still taking a little blogging break but wanted to share this magnificent quote from Elisabeth Kübler-Ross. It is speaking to me now. I’m trying to keep a candle burning. Hope you all are, too.

 

photo source

There is a crack in everything…

 

Leonard Cohen (The New Yorker)

 

“There is a crack in everything.
That’s how the light gets in.”

 

These oft-quoted lines from Leonard Cohen are some of the most beautiful words to ever be strung together.

To me, they speak of hope. The full and complete appreciation of light when submerged in darkness. This is a theme I explore often—both in life and in writing.

Nothing is perfect. Nothing is flawless. And therein lies the beauty.

When we are broken, it is at that time and it is at the place where the break is, that the light gets in.

Leonard Cohen’s poetry and songs have touched many. His voice, singing his remarkable words, never fail to bring me to tears.

Things are broken. But now the light can find its way in.

 

Leonard Cohen: 20 Essential Songs (Rolling Stone)

 

Vernal Equinox: The First Day of Spring

 

We no longer need to hold onto the hope we embraced throughout the winter.

Spring is finally here. We excitedly listen to hear the chirping of the birds during breakfast. The kids trade their sleds for scooters, get out bikes and blow bubbles. There is still a chill in the air, but we venture out for walks on paths that were covered with snow just one week ago.

Piles of snow still remain but patches of grass are now visible. We are starting to see plants we knew were there, somewhere, beneath the frozen ground. We search for sprouts, discover tiny buds on the tips of branches, marvel at a slender blade of grass breaking through clumps of heavy earth. Birds are nesting. We crouch down to study seedlings and peek up to see hatchlings. There is new life everywhere we turn.

Hope surrounds us.

This is a time of beginnings.

We are being offered a fresh start. Spring cleaning removes dust, dirt, and clutter from our homes. The debris that has accumulated over the cold months can be swept away, leaving an inviting space. Our external environment affects our internal one. In this way, we are helping clear our minds as well.

This is a time of balance.

On the equinox, day and night are of equal length as the sun crosses the equator. Today, we experience the same amount of darkness and light—outside and within ourselves. Take a moment to meditate, to reset. Adjust any imbalances you feel.

Bring ideas out into the open. Breathe life into them. Write. Paint. Take up a sport. Begin that project you’ve been talking about for months (or years). Rejuvenate yourself. Watch the world around you grow, and allow your dreams to grow with them.

 

 

Midwinter: Light & Hope

 

In many cultures, past and present, this day is a promise of release from the dreary darkness and bitter cold of winter. Beneath the frozen earth, life stirs. This midwinter celebration, halfway between the first day of winter and the first day of spring, gives us hope.

Like watching your children grow, you look up one morning and say, “When did you get so tall?” Those extra minutes of sunlight each day since the Winter Solstice have accumulated. Lift your eyes, look around, become aware of the light. The lengthening of days is a slow process—but the change is now noticeable.

The guilt of what we did “wrong” last year and the pressure to make resolutions to better ourselves is associated with the New Year.

This first day of February offers a fresh start. It is about new beginnings. It brings knowledge that the seeds we planted are deep within—there is life underneath the frost and snow. These plants will soon break through the soil, reaching and growing.

Trust that there is life in the darkness and there you will find hope.

 

Where there is darkness, find the light. Where there is cold, find the warmth.

 

My Sunday thoughts in 200 words or less.