Dark of Winter
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Where I live, December marks the beginning of winter. And in the Hudson Valley of New York, those winters are often cold, silent, and dark. I have learned to embrace all three of those qualities as annual gifts to my spirit.
It has not been an easy journey to accept the gifts of winter. It is deeply engrained in many cultural traditions that what we need to do is bring light, warmth, and noise into our homes to oppose the forces of winter.
We adorn trees, festoon our houses, hang lanterns and light candles. We light bonfires and gather around fireplaces. Societies have spent a lot of energy rejecting winter, as winter was harsh and cruel to our ancestors. But it doesn’t have to be for us—life is harsh and cruel enough.
So instead, I greet winter with the knowledge that it is asking us to find something deep within us. Cold calls out for companionship. Silence for reflection. And darkness invites healing and transformation.
This December, I wonder if you can find and hold onto some silence. Maybe your silence will come while you work, or in those moments after everyone around you has gone to sleep.
And in those moments, listen to the still, small voice within. Think about those with whom you are connected—though time and space may separate you. Pray to whatever you hold sacred for strength and guidance. But listen.
I hope, too, that you can find some healing darkness. It is a common and misguided metaphor that equates dark with evil—one that has done more harm than good in our society.
And if winter’s cold reaches you wherever you are, I pray you know your community’s love surrounds you.
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