The Winter Solstice

Tonight marks the longest night of the year. In ancient times communities gathered together to wait for the sunrise signaling the renewal of life was coming. It is a sacred time.

This is meant to be a time of introspection and acknowledgement of the years’ successes. Completion of some of the tasks we set for ourselves and resolving to continue those not yet complete or releasing them as no longer necessary. It takes silence to complete this review, time to be thorough.

Too many times we overlook the resolution of challenges with a positive outcome. We fail to give ourselves credit when credit is due. This has been a year of difficult choices and when we make one that improves our life while we may celebrate the result we rarely stand in our light and congratulate ourselves for taking the necessary action it took to achieve that result. Too often we tend to accept what we have created but fail to give thanks to ourselves for recognizing the choice when it was presented to us. This is a time to review what we have achieved and thank ourselves.

If this year that is ending has brought loss into our lives as it has mine, tonight in the dark silence, it will be good to remember that Winter is a time for rest and reflection. Keep the good memories for comfort and know that renewal is coming with the Spring.

Thank you for joining me here.

First Morning of the New Year

I’m sitting at my kitchen window, watching the bees sip from the flowers on the rosemary plant while the butterflies enjoy the milkweed that sprang up and I forbid the gardener to touch. The wild finches share and squabble over the sunflower seed I put out for them and then flit to the fountain to have a drink and/or take their bath, fluttering their wings as the water falls from one level to the next. Then there are the hummingbirds who enjoy the deep-throated yellow blossoms on the plant under my window. They too enjoy the fountain and when they splash about it’s like watching living jewels sparkling in the drops of water they shed.

Behind it all is the Native American flute music I play every morning. It is magical and the perfect soundtrack to my private nature show.

I hope this gives you the same sense of serenity it gave me.

My mistakes are valuable learning experiences. I’ll keep trying to succeed. I won’t try to change others, I will adjust myself. I will pursue more things that are a good use of my time and talent.

Learn from your past, stand up in the present, and rise to your future, The only thing we truly own is this moment, right now. This is your story, so be it as you wish to remember it.