Tentative

It's a curious time of year right now, certainly in this hemisphere with the so very short days that have been made darker by the arrival of the rain we didn't have last month.  Man those clouds make for some dark days.  I've heard from so many people "why is it so dark" and this isn't the time change end of day thing this is the middle of the morning type thing.  It's the clouds.  The rain.  The lack of bright sun.

Others would argue this but we're technically not actually AT Winter yet so I can't even say it's "mid Winter" but I do understand why so many things at this time of year involve lights.  Lighting trees or houses or candles or special things.  It's so dark out.  We add light to that, metaphorically and literally.

I've had the thought a few times over the last few days that maybe I'd go to a Christmas thing.  Or a holiday thing.  Maybe I'd go listen to a choir singing those old, old hymns that may not mean anything to me in a religious way but do mean something to me in a musical way or a "traditions that have been around for a very long time" way.

I nearly went to one of the parades and was a little bummed that I didn't.  (I used to.)

I didn't hate writing out my Christmas cards quite as much as I usually have.  Maybe, just maybe I'm moving out of my "This time of year is awful and Christmas has been RUINED" phase?  

Or maybe my last few years of purposely trying to lessen the stress and pressure of the season have added up and I'm learning to be ok with my new quiet, mellow approach?

In fact, writing this has just reminded me I bought the Charlie Brown Christmas special soundtrack on vinyl and I haven't even opened it up yet.  I should get that out and ready to go in case the spirit hits me to listen so some songs that have always made me smile.

So if nothing else, I hope we all find some light at this darker time of year.  May that light be as literal as you need it to be and as metaphorically supportive as you want it to be.