Today is the first full day of winter, following the winter solstice yesterday. It is in northern climes an auspicious date marking the day of greatest darkness on the earth (north of the equator) and pagan beliefs of old hold that this is the day for the rebirth and regeneration of the sun without which, of course, there is no life. This is also a time to celebrate light. Here the traditional Christian Nativity and Pagan solstice beliefs nicely and briefly dovetail although it can be safely ascertained that Jesus was likely born sometime in April.
Everywhere are coloured lights festooning homes, buildings and trees. I would like to go for a few walks over the next few evenings to see and enjoy some of the displays. The scary phallic looking crane at the construction site a block away is adorned in white lights, lending a cold sinister aspect. That tower, when it is finished, is going to obliterate my view of the sky. There are a few, not many, other windows with lights. One window adornment slowly changes colour. Right now it is bright red with a splash of indigo downstairs. Tomorrow it could be purple or teal.
I often have trouble with sleep this time of year, I think because of the increased and gathering darkness. It is five am and I have been up since before four and I am thriving on less than four hours of sleep. Following a light breakfast I will be returning to bed with the radio on at a low volume. I don't begin work today till ten-thirty and this gives me plenty of time to rest. I often have segmented sleep and find that if I get up predawn, then let myself get tired, I can go back to sleep for a couple of hours and still arrive on time at work reasonably well-rested.
The light of Christ and the light of the sun, and the stars, remind us of the primordial value and our absolute need of light. It is now believed that the Star of Bethlehem was really a supernova timed beautifully with the birth of the world's Saviour and Christians generally decorate their homes and trees with strings of light as a reminder and a symbolic offering of light to commemorate the Light of the World.
By extension we can also celebrate the stars and the sun, not as objects of worship but as the shining creation of the God who became a tiny baby and later a crucified innocent man offering his life for us and three days later conquering the very death that could not swallow him: the ultimate triumph of light over darkness.
Sometime today I will adorn my window with a string of coloured lights. I am late this year but it is beginning to feel like time. It is also my mother's birthday today and this is a nice way to remember her.
This from the legendary Leontyne Price:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I86TRq_rQIo
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