Ancient Longing

A Meditation on Yule

Note: Walking on God comes early this week, as we in the northern hemisphere note with celebration our emergence from the longest night of the year and welcome the growing day. I wish you the joy of this winter solstice, known by our ancient ancestors as Yule.

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I love how the ancient pull toward light still tugs at us. Deep in the long nights of December we illuminate the darkness with Advent candles, Hanukkah candles and sparkling Christmas lights. Like the rings of fire lit by our forebears to ward off fear as the growing darkness dimmed the edges of their days, our little lights twinkle like hope in our darkening sky.

Photo by Mike, from Pixabay

There is no doubt that now, as we light our windows and doorways, and while our dining room tables are aglow with candlelight, our world is dark. Not just the sun's light, but the light of goodwill seems to have diminished. Once more, we wait. But we are not without hope. We know, deep in our bones, that our own individual actions, like small lights flickering on a tree, have the power to transform, one action at a time, darkness to light. And so, called by a longing deeper and more ancient than memory to create our own light, we act.

By the time our New Year fireworks have burst and faded, the sun will have won the ancient struggle once more, and we will soon notice its victory as seconds of growing light turn to minutes. Let's pay attention to those minutes. Let's notice them, as we notice the small lights of kindness and courage as they increase in the weeks and months ahead. Maybe not from those holding power, but from the tens, hundreds, thousands and millions of us, each with our own power. Let's notice our own growing light as it vanquishes the dark.

Happy Solstice.

Sunrise, one day before Solstice 2025: We wait for Sun’s return.