Lessons from the winter solstice
As we prepare for the shortest day of the year and the season of darkness, the symbol of light begins to appear all around us.
In the pagan festival of Yule at this time bonfires are lit.
During Hannukah we celebrate the Festival of Light by lighting the special Hannukah candles and remember the oil lamp in the Temple that miraculously stayed lit for 8 days.
At Christmas we remember the light of the star above Bethlehem that showed the kings the way across the desert to see the new king. We light Advent candles and string lights on the Christmas tree. Even the evergreen tree set against the bleak, bare landscape outside mirrors the theme of bringing forth the light while enveloped in darkness.
In ancient times our ancestors actually feared that the sunlight may never return. Now we know better than that, but we sometimes still wonder, when we go through a period of darkness in our lives, whether a new and better day will dawn for us.
This is the true gift of this season of the year.
We can be sure that winter is always followed by a new spring. The darkest night is always followed by a new dawn. There is no doubt about it. It is the law of Nature.
In deepest winter there is always a light; the light within.
As Albert Camus wrote: "In the darkest winter I finally realised there lay within me an invincible summer".
As mothers, this season can teach us that on diffficult days or during periods when it seems as if things will never change - the kids will never grow, the baby will never stop breastfeeding, I'll never get my figure/life back...This too shall pass.
The light will return.
In the pagan festival of Yule at this time bonfires are lit.
During Hannukah we celebrate the Festival of Light by lighting the special Hannukah candles and remember the oil lamp in the Temple that miraculously stayed lit for 8 days.
At Christmas we remember the light of the star above Bethlehem that showed the kings the way across the desert to see the new king. We light Advent candles and string lights on the Christmas tree. Even the evergreen tree set against the bleak, bare landscape outside mirrors the theme of bringing forth the light while enveloped in darkness.
In ancient times our ancestors actually feared that the sunlight may never return. Now we know better than that, but we sometimes still wonder, when we go through a period of darkness in our lives, whether a new and better day will dawn for us.
This is the true gift of this season of the year.
We can be sure that winter is always followed by a new spring. The darkest night is always followed by a new dawn. There is no doubt about it. It is the law of Nature.
In deepest winter there is always a light; the light within.
As Albert Camus wrote: "In the darkest winter I finally realised there lay within me an invincible summer".
As mothers, this season can teach us that on diffficult days or during periods when it seems as if things will never change - the kids will never grow, the baby will never stop breastfeeding, I'll never get my figure/life back...This too shall pass.
The light will return.