Dear Friend,

This Advent time of year leading up to Christmas is fun: lots of lights, music, wonderful smells, and of course, yummy treats. But it’s also a time of darkness, and that is a source of joy for me as well.

Yesterday was, in the northern hemisphere, the winter solstice, often referred to as “the shortest day of the year.” But it’s also the longest night of the year. So, last week I went on a very meaningful guided tour along the Potomac River to explore what it means for us to be moving into darkness. We often think of God as light, but God is very much in the darkness as well. Beneath our feet were billions of “little critters,” turning the rotten leaves into the rich soil that will support growth next spring. The tree roots hidden in the dark were storing the minerals needed to move back into new leaves as well. And we learned of how, during the darkness of each night, many trees relax, droop, and almost sigh as they get ready for the next period of reaching for the sky.

As joyful as this season is, it’s also a challenging time for many people living with depression or anxiety. As we interact with family, or wish we could, it seems all our emotions are heightened. So, it makes me extra sensitive to the need to reach out, to forgive the anxious person honking at me in traffic, or to try to identify with the person seated in front of me on the airplane who couldn’t make it through the day without drinking way too much.

Fortunately, this season guides us toward the light. Early Christians thousands of years ago chose this time of year to celebrate the birth of Jesus because it came right after the longest night. Knowing that God had not deserted them, but was actively moving in the life of the community after the solstice.

So, today I give thanks for both the light and the darkness, knowing that God is ever present in both and leading us to good reasons to celebrate Christmas.

Warmly…