A couple years ago, I had the privilege of being a part of a winter solstice celebration at my nephew’s school. Being the photographer I am, I was quite disappointed when I was informed I could not capture this special event in photos. Truth be told… it made sense. This was about BEING, not CAPTURING.
To celebrate the upcoming winter solstice, let me paint a picture of that experience.
We entered a dim lit room where the school children… from kindergarten to middle school age, were quietly and respectfully waiting in silence around a spiral path of evergreen boughs. Soft recorder music was being played in the background by the older children.
At 4:30, around the time the sun was setting, the youngest child entered the spiral of boughs that formed a path to the center where a single candle was lit. She handed her unlit candle to the candle lighter, and once it was ignited, she stepped from the center into the darkness, seeking a spot in the spiral where she would leave her light. Then she carefully left the still darkened path to join her peers.
One by one, with no sense of rushing, urgency, stress or correctness, each child came to the center, where there was light. There they received their light, and carefully chose a place on the path that needed to be illuminated. After the children finished ~parents and other family members added their light to the spiral… ending in an incredibly illuminated space.
It was precious to watch how carefully some children chose their spot, as if intuitively knowing where their light needed to shine…
How profound that the children in their innocence lit the path for us, as if perhaps we needed their gifts in order to best share our own.
As we stood in this state of being, I could not help but think of all the people who may have needed this simple light.
Broken dreams, lost love, health concerns that rob life, lost jobs, struggling families, death, misunderstandings that tear people apart… what a little light could do for each of them.
We all are on this path… this spiral that brings us to light and truth… or if ignored…leaves us in darkness.
That night, the children reminded me of the most precious of lessons; and it is no less poignant today. Whatever the darkness, stay the journey… move towards the light… surround yourself with others who are also on the journey. And know that you are never too young or too old to recognize that someone needs your light…
Blessed Solstice ❄️