by Roger Mock
The Winter Solstice, that time of deepest darkness and icy weather, is quite undeniably upon us. Let’s cue up the beginning of Christina Rossetti’s frost-bound poem (rimy rhyme?) to get us in the mood:
In the bleak midwinter,
frosty wind made moan,
Earth stood hard as iron,
water like a stone.
The darkness gathers itself so relentlessly over the autumnal months and yet, through the ages we have made merry this bleak season. Well, of course. In temperate weather one could easily wander far afield from the tribe, striking out on one’s own even. Come the fall, though, the time to harvest and to huddle was at hand. The gathering in, the communal flame, and around that fire: story and song, laughter and love. A bond and unity discovered and renewed at that hearth each winter deeper than summer could summon.
The beautiful but uncompromising darkness beckons us to find the light that has been receding from our fields and homes to be burning and blazing within each of us, all the more so when we gather together with harmonious intent and good will.
We have ample opportunity to do so in the coming few days, so I invite you to join our Unity community for some wonderful special events and sacred services as a way to both embrace the dark and to recognize and be that light for one another. Welcome Yule!
Love, light and merry tidings,
Roger