NOVEMBER 2013  autumn into winter...and the light of hope


It's that time of year again when sunlight is diminishing (at least in the Northern hemisphere).  After the most glorious summer and a bountiful autumn, winter is once again with us, and the darkness and cold have returned.

The great end of year festivals - Divali, Eid, Thanksgiving, Hannukah, the Winter Solstice and Christmas - are all about light and hope, gratitude and sharing.

Darkness and cold pervade our world metaphorically, as well as physically  - of that we are only too well aware.  The seasons remind us of the unending cycles of birth, flourishing, fullness and death - the pattern for all that exists.  As surely as the darkness descends and wraps itself around us, so too the light always returns, a mere candle-flicker to begin with, until it enfolds us in a glorious brightness and warmth.

None of us can be certain as to why suffering exists but it appears to be a necessary prerequisite to being in this world.  So long as there is life, there is hope, and the possibility of understanding.

The lights of the end of year festivals remind us of the eternal light which is never extinguished, no matter the depth of the darkness.

May all take comfort in the lights of the festivals, and hope for better times, and may those of us who are fortunate, count our blessings, share what we have, and be hopeful about the future for all.

SPRING AT LAST!

Here we are, well past the Spring Equinox, but only just beginning to feel warmer.  Sure  the days have been lengthening but cold winds have prevailed, and after a long hard winter we're all longing for some sunshine!

I lost my Mother this winter.  At the time of deepest snow she left her body, so Spring's arrival is particularly poignant for me this year.  I think of her every day as I go out into the garden - she so loved her own garden in her final years, before a nursing home became inevitable.  Her death was a humbling experience for many reasons, but I am left with a sense of peace after her passing and gratitude for what she gave me.

Now each day seems more precious than ever.  And living in the moment seems to be very natural.  What point in worrying about what lies ahead or regretting the past.  None at all.  My woodland garden is full of primroses.  They have withstood the buffeting winds and seem to me a symbol of hope.  As ever, the world and it's clamour are there, but beauty is all around us if only we open our eyes.  The world is full of miracles if negative thinking and doubt don't get in the way.  We may not be able to change what life throws at us, but we can change our response to it. 

So let's be positive about the long hot summer that may well lie ahead.  At the very least there will be some quintessentially English summer days which will put a smile on our faces!