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Winter Solstice
“This is the solstice, the still point of the sun, its cusp and midnight, the year’s threshold and unlocking, where the past lets go of and becomes the future; the place of caught breath.” ~Margaret Atwood Today, December 21st, is the Winter Solstice. The Farmer’s Almanac describes it as “the astronomical moment when the sun reaches the Tropic of Capricorn, and we have our shortest day and longest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.” No matter where you live, the solstice marks the official start of winter. While it seems counterintuitive, the longest night of the year also holds a glimmer of hope: Each day afterward will be…
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Christmas cards
“There’s nothing nicer than unexpected appreciation. If you’re grateful, get a pen.” ~Helen Ellis Some people tell me they don’t bother writing or mailing Christmas cards anymore. Social media is an easier way to send greetings without paper, ink, or postage. (I’ll admit there were years when I got lazy and mailed cards only to those who sent one to me.) The pandemic totally changed my mind. After months of isolation, I enjoyed reaching out to others through the mail — one of the few tangible ways I could. During lockdown, I also had extra time to make Christmas cards using my own photos, which I thoroughly enjoyed. More than…
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Getting cozy
“It was so wonderful to be there, safe at home, sheltered from the winds and the cold. Laura thought that this must be a little like heaven, where the weary are at rest.” ~Laura Ingalls Wilder The Scandinavian concept of “hygge” suggests a sense of comfort and contentment. The word possibly stems from a Danish word meaning “to give courage, comfort, joy.” Another theory suggests that hygge was derived from the Old Norse word “hugr” — which is the origin of the word “hug.” Hygge has become a popular marketing term in Scandinavia in recent years — and we’ve embraced it here in the northern United States, especially in the cold winter months.…
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Do it every day
“Submit to a daily practice.Your loyalty to that is a ring on the door.Keep knocking, and the joy inside will eventually open a window,and look out to see who’s there.”~ from “The Essential Rumi” (Translations by Coleman Barks) Is there something you love doing so much that you’re willing to practice it every day? Whether you’re refining a craft or improving your athletic skills, the Sufi poet Rumi reminds you to keep working at it. For instance, all the professional writers I know collected dozens of rejection notices before they started getting their work published. No matter what, they kept on writing. So don’t get discouraged … If you love what…
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“Lost & Found” department
“If you want something, it will elude you. If you do not want something, you will get ten of it in the mail.” ~Anna Quindlen Today’s quote makes me smile every time I remember it. It applies to every type of item you can name, from misplaced reading glasses to a hard-to-find ingredient for a recipe. Right now, I’m thinking of a new novel I’d purchased but couldn’t locate anywhere in the house. Of course, it wasn’t on the shelf where I usually keep new books — and I didn’t find it until I’d lost interest in reading it. As Anna Quindlen suggests, the best way to find something —…
