The Forces of Light and Dark . . .

   The winter solstice is almost upon us.  It’s a pivotal moment in time, when the distance between the forces of light and dark becomes the most extreme, and then like a sigh, shrinks incrementally.  The beauty of this least light-filled day is multi-layered.  For me, the first beautiful message it brings is that within the very darkest of times lives the promise of the upswing of light.  This speaks to me of hope and its eternal presence hidden deep within our difficulties. 

   The second beautiful message the winter solstice brings, is that our human nature is wired to create light in the very midst of darkness.  The winter holidays of solstice, Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Diwali, all share in common the theme of light and the cross cultural knowing that regardless of our faith tradition we are all light seeking, light creating creatures.  

“It takes darkness to be aware of the light.” 
― Treasure Tatum

   The third beautiful message of the winter solstice is the reminder that our primal nature is to gather together during dark times to nurture, protect, and support one another.  Our social traditions of winter holiday gatherings are at their core the expression of this deep human need to huddle together for connection and comfort. 

   And lastly, the winter solstice speaks to me of our resilience: that no matter how dark life can sometimes feel, we have the innate capacity to transform our circumstances into light, be it the light of wisdom learned from difficult experiences or the lightness of laughter to lift the heaviness of the situation.

   How do you transform dark times into light?  What are your methodologies?  Please share your comments and thoughts below.