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| get your decs out |
For the first time in living memory, I'm actually looking forward to Christmas, although I don't really know why, or what exactly I'm looking forward to.
The attentive amongst you will have gleaned that I'm not a Christian, so Christmas doesn't really mean anything to me from that perspective...even the less attentive will have gathered that I'm no fan of capitalism, and find the commercial side of Christmas distasteful in the extreme.
Personally, I feel more affinity with the Pagan tradition, so my focus is more on the Solstice than the Nativity.
Anna will tell you that as each year passes, I'm more keenly aware of where we are in relation to the shortest day...for instance, I know that today we are entering the darkest 3 weeks of the year...by the time this blog finishes on the day before my birthday, we'll be in the darkest fortnight (a week either side of the shortest day).
Increasingly, as I get older, the Solstice takes on more significance...it's the turning of the tide, and gives me a strong sense of new beginnings.
Maybe it's this blog, which has so profoundly shone a light on my life, such that I cannot fail to be acutely aware of how lucky I am to have such an engaging life...
Thus the point where the days start to lengthen again has become very much a time to look back...with deep sorrow for best friends lost, and with some relief for intense pain that is gradually passing...
Yet with sincere thanks for all the rewarding experiences I've had; with lasting joy at the huge variety of diverse creatures I've had the good fortune to commune with (human and otherwise); with a hint of pride at some of the things I've done; with humble surprise at how many great things I have in my life.
And whilst celebrating the last year (and the end of all this), over the next few days, I am also inclined to look ahead...to the lengthening of the days, the rising of the sun, new challenges and adventures to come.
Is there really any difference between the Christmas story, and the Pagan tradition of the Solstice, fundamentally?
Seems to me they're both about death and rebirth, gratitude for the past and hope for the future...and isn't it just Nature? Isn't it simply the way the world works, here on Earth?
For these reasons (and probably others, notably Anna's claimed persuasive powers ;-p), I'm quite up for Christmas this year, and for the first time pretty much ever, I feel like celebrating!
So tonight we put the first of the decorations up, and it seems appropriate symbolism given that my blog and the solar year are closely coincident...and I'm even having a little tipple, which I never do on a work night!
Glad tidings to all of you, as we move into a last, meaningful couple of weeks for Pagans, Christians alike, for 2014, and of course for me and my blog!
:-)
In late breaking Other News, Top Commenter Andy sent me this photo in response to my post yesterday:
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| eight for heaven |
I make that eight magpies...all I can say is:
Bravo!! *doffs hat and bows deferentially*
The modern version runs out after seven (for a secret never to be told), but the old version has eight for heaven...
Great effort, Andy!!
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