This time of year means as many different things to people as there are varying traditions. Therefore, by nature, no one tradition can be more appropriate than another. “Happy Holidays” is as heartfelt and genuine a greeting as “Merry Christmas”, or in my case, “Happy Solstice”. It isn’t sales or gridlock traffic that define this time of year for me. It’s something I feel in my heart. It doesn’t take adverts, plastic nativity scenes or gizmos for me to note the change of season. I recognize the time of year by the way the icy wind teases my upturned collar and ice frosts my windshield. As a child, Solstice was the most magical time of year for me; miracles didn’t just happen on 34th Street. Living deep in the woods I couldn’t help but notice the natural order of things and the way the plants and grasses retreated into the earth under fall’s leaf litter to rest and prepare for the rebirth of spring. The sunlight through my window grew dim as the orb set on its southern-most horizon and I knew to watch and count for three days while the three stars of Orion’s Belt came into direct alignment with the brightest star in the east, Sirius. I was taught that if I were to draw a straight line through these four stars, to earth, I would accurately pinpoint where in the sky the Christmas sun would rise. We rejoice! The sun has returned to the northern sky and longer days were here again! To my ancestors (and yours) the sun’s return signified the promise of continued crops and herds to fatten them on. Life would continue. Did we begin giving gifts this time of year because the sun gave us the gift of life? Always delicious food for thought.
So when I look at you and say, “Happy Solstice”, what I’m really saying is “I recognize you as a fellow human being and we are occupying the same rock hurtling through space and I wish you a fantastic tomorrow. May the sun’s return heap blessing upon your home.”
What a great blog