Winter Break

The luminaries almost made a complete trail down through Paradise valley on the island...till the rain started and the inexpensive candles failed... Winter Solstice is my favorite holiday, not because of hoopla and fanfare or gifts given as a supplication to what we should be doing all year long. It is a day of inner reflection; of remembering our connection to nature, our loved ones and to light. Sharing a quiet meal with your love. It is because it is a day of separate tasks joined together shoulder to shoulder with people you may or may not know. Walking a few miles, filling, placing brown paper bags filled with sand and a votive, fluffing and cuffing the tops of the bags which are spaced out at 20 or so paces, then going back to the ends and start lighting the wicks, or trying to light the wicks, all while watching the dusk settle and small glowing beacons of orange light line the road we all pass by normally without looking. It is a day of giving time and laughter and hope. Hope that it will not rain on the small luminous beacons. Hope that this next solar year will be one of health, peace, abundance of what we need, and of solace. Thank you Marianne for being my partner! Thank you my friend Biondo for hosting luminaries every year come rain or shine. May we all remember our inner luminaries. Peace out...