Tonight marks the longest night of the year; henceforth, all nights will gradually shorten, letting light overrule darkness. It is a joyous night of celebration; echoes of the pagan feasts of this night leaking into Christmas traditions. Yule logs, live trees brought indoors, the exchange of gifts- these aren't Christian inventions but older...much older.
The joy of light. The promise of the surrender of the night. Our ancient kin understood the symbology and the reality: Spring to come, food to be grown, harvest to be enjoyed. And the Christian architects understood the symbology too; light overcoming darkness. Christ overcoming sin. Hark! the Herald Angels Sing!
It is easy to be happy on a night like this. It is easy to find optimism. But this is only half the story; half the year. The key is to find joy in the darkness too. To understand that happiness must be balanced with pain and sorrow to have it retain meaning.
When we ache, it is hard to remember that there is still promise of Joy. Optimism retreats. We cannot see that it is cyclical. A phase. A season. Time heals. AND light returns.
That is the promise of the Solstice...The Light returns. The Shadows are banished.
And so, celebrate my friends! Not just this night, but on the darker nights that undermine our souls. The Light will return. In this life or beyond it. The Light will return!!
Thank you, gracious readers, for your company this past year.
With joy I honor your essence! May blessings be yours.
No comments:
Post a Comment