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When breath catches in the crisp night air,
and sight turns to stars, mind to moon,
silence asserts itself,
breathing the beauty of night into being.
Silence, breathing beauty alive.

Each new night,
without effort, without planning,
turns eyes from task to sky,
feet from stride to stillness,
thoughts from next to now.

Each new night turns endings into
beginnings,
holds its splendor
in the awe of silence,
in wordless, voiceless, reverence.

The ancient night, new each eve,
turning, turning
the proud to humility,
the sure to wondrousness,
the clamorous to quiet.

The noise of days recedes
into a gentle, dark embrace—
exhaling into crisp silence.
Held by night, new and old,
embracing beginnings, again.

From With or Without Candlelight, a Meditation Anthology, edited by Victoria Safford, and published by Skinner House in 2009. Available from the UUA bookstore or 800-215-9076.

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Rev. Bill Neely

Minister at Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Princeton, NJ

Bill has served his current congregation since 2011. He previously served congregations in Detroit and near Memphis, TN. Bill and his partner Shannon have been married for 16 years and they have three kids: Rachel, John, and Sara.

Latest posts by Rev. Bill Neely (see all)

• Nighttime, January - January 1, 2015