Hello darkness, my old friend

Last night Ed and I gathered with some neighbors to mark the darkest day and welcome light. We wrote down on paper things we wished to leave behind or hopes we had for the new year, and then we tossed them into the roaring bon fire.

We lit japanese lanterns and offered them up to the night sky. We shared a supper of chili and mulled wine.

This simple winter solstice celebration presented us a time to tune into the magic and beauty of the season. It reminded me that our lives are part of a larger order, always changing, always renewing. It helped me understand the powerful transition of darkness to light, and the hope and opportunity there is in that.

This yuletide I look forward to spending time with my beloveds as the light returns. I hope the same for you.