Solstice Blessings to you all.

Today is the Winter Solstice for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, the day when the sun has reached it’s Southernmost point on the horizon. The day that has the shortest number of daylight hours.  The darkest day of the year.  But from Sunday, the sun will then begin the slow trek Northwards once more.  However, a few days before and after the Solstice the change is so imperceptible that it appears to stand still.  In fact the word Solstice comes from the Latin, meaning “sun” and “to stand still”.  The wheel of the year is turning once more towards the light.

Tonight in my home, I will light a candle to chase away the darkness and take a little time out of the hurly burly of Christmas preparation for a little quiet reflection.

I’ll leave you with a lovely poem, written by Susan Cooper, entitled The Shortest Day.  Have a wonderful, peaceful day.

The Shortest Day

And so the shortest day came and the year died
And everywhere down the centuries of the snow-white world
Came people singing, dancing,
To drive the dark away.
They lighted candles in the winter trees;
They hung their homes with evergreen;
They burned beseeching fires all night long
To keep the year alive,
And when the new year’s sunshine blazed awake
They shouted, reveling.
Through all the frosty ages you can hear them
Echoing behind us – Listen!!
All the long echoes sing the same delight,
This shortest day,
As promise wakens in the sleeping land:
They carol, feast, give thanks,
And dearly love their friends,
And hope for peace.
And so do we, here, now,
This year and every year.
Welcome Yule.

~ Susan Cooper