Soon, very soon, light will begin to return. On Friday, December 21, at 5:22 pm ESD, the earth will embark upon its seasonal shift toward the receipt of more daily sun energy in the northern hemisphere (where I live).
These darkest weeks are the most difficult of the year for me. But I keep my spirits up with a reminder: we curse the dark because we have known the light. Moreover, I remind myself that I really appreciate true darkness, the state of the sky without artificial light. When humankind tries to wash away what it thinks it does not like, it dilutes the stars, disturbs our rest, and masks the miracles of the natural world.
On the Winter Solstice 2018, I promise to celebrate neither dark nor light. Instead I will recognize the beauty in the contrast.
