The family origins of our ritualistic observance of the coming of the Winter Solstice began more than forty years ago when my sister made candles with the children. Having made the candles, they wanted to use them, of course. How better than with an annal conflagration to welcome return of the sun!
Gifts of candles quickly assumed the place of sand-cased ones. However, though the source of the candles changed the desire to use them did not.
All these years later, members of my family gather still to welcome the return of the sun. Enthusiasm for this behavior has not waned; indeed, invitations are sought after and prized!
The menu doesn't change. It consists always of spaghetti with meat sauce, dilled green beans, a salad and peppermint ice cream with Christmas cookies.
On Christmas Eve, several of us attended a late-night church service in which a darkened church came "back to light," one candle at a time. It was dramatic and moving.
I asked myself, What is it about light that has the capacity to stir us so? Almost immediately I was reminded of Marianne Williamson's quote:
"...as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”
With light comes evidence of who we are along with liberation from fear; with light comes the reappearance of color. The presence and experience of color is at the heart of human life.
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