It’s the shortest day of the year. The longest night. The first day of winter. We have just over eight hours of sunlight where I am. In six months, on the summer solstice, my birthday, we’ll have nearly sixteen.
An equal amount of light, my dad reminds me. We all have an equal amount of light each year. The universe, at least, does not discriminate.
I am not tapped into the rich meanings of solstices, but I feel the common magic. The marking of the season. The history of ritual and celebration across cultures. In Avatar the solstice marked a thinning of the human and spirit worlds.
It’s also a personal reminder that I am half way through my year. My half-birthday.
After today the days will lengthen again, pouring more light into our world to lead us through winter and into spring. I am grateful that the shortest day marks the beginning of the season, rather than its peak. I want as much sun as I can get in the snow-covered days ahead.
With Love,
Natalie