Tis the season and all that.
As we are in the midst of the Yuletide and the longest night approaches, we are in a unique place during the year. Regardless of faith, this is a time to spend with family and friends and remember those that are no longer with us in the flesh. This was the same for our ancestors, only the distance between us and the dead was not as far as we often think it is today.
We do our best to make our hearths bright, merry, warm, and inviting. We invite family and friends into our homes and create memories and share old ones. I often think of my father, grandparents, and grandmother-in-law. I miss them greatly, as does my wife, but this is a time of inviting them into our hearths, hearts, and minds once more. It is a time of remembering and cherishing that which we have. The season itself lends itself to this reflective process.
On the job I see folks that feel that they have very little this time of year, succumb to depression, and do not come out of it until the season is past. On the flip side I get to see folks who have very little in the way of material things and, yet, they are truly happy and feel blessed because this time of year is filled with family and friends. It does my heart good to see that despite a faltering economy and a very materialistic culture, there are people out there that still can focus on what this time of year is about.
We approach the darkest hour of the darkest day. We anxiously await the return of Sunna's reign on the world. The days growing longer and brighter, bringing with it new beginnings. Some heathens I know like to sit out and observe a vigil over the hearth fire and keep it burning throughout the night on the Solstice to welcome Sunna in the morning. Some prefer to sleep tight to their loved ones and greet Her in the morning with a yawn, smile, and cup of coffee. However you observe it, remember to reflect and enjoy this time of year. It is so easy to get wrapped up in the hustle and bustle of this humdrum life, forgetting to take a moment or two to reflect on the past year's losses, triumphs, and travails.
In closing I would like to also ask that anyone reading this, please take a few minutes to offer up a prayer or thoughts for the first responders that will be working this holiday. They are out away from their families serving our community so that we may rest easy.
Sisu and Glad Yuletide!
