I’m still not used to this late afternoon beginning to feel like night. And when the darkness falls, I think about sleep and then realize it’s only dinner time. How about you?
It’s the time of year when darkness seems to rule, at least on the outside. How are we doing on the inside? Stressed? Anxious? Worried? Angry? If yes, even a little bit, then let’s shine a light on our inside, too.
Let “the light shine in the darkness, and (see how) the darkness does not overcome it.”
I offer these ideas for little ones and us bigger ones highlighting ways to focus on light and overcome our darkness.
1. Why not turn off all the lights in every space and sit in the darkness for a short time until your eyes adjust. Can you see anything? Perhaps you’ll notice where light does shine in odd places. Then light one candle and notice how bright that candle is. It surely has overcome the darkness.
2. Go for part or all of a day without using electricity, which is what usually gives us light. But without using any item which uses electricity, going to an earlier time when people were afraid of night because of the absolute darkness that reigned. (That’s why vesper services at church began—to reassure us that we would be safe through the dark night and the light would indeed return in the morning.)
3. When you’re back to using electricity and the library or internet or perhaps your bookshelves, look up traditions which use candles during this time of year. For starters, there’s
· Advent
· Diwali
· Hanukkah
· Christmas
· Kwanzaa
· Eid al-Fitr
· Imbolc or Brigid’s Day
· St. Lucia (Lucy) Day
4. Make an Advent wreath—of branches and candles; or paper candles on a wall, ‘lighting’ a candle with a paper flame each evening—and use it to count down the dark days until Christmas and the winter solstice, after which the daylight lengthens.
5. Take time to be in a spirit of gratitude as you name all the ways light shines in the darkness—lighting up your physical, exterior spaces and world, as well as lighting up your interior physical, mental, emotional and spiritual space.
6. The darkness offers us a time of rest, as many of us sleep during the darkest time of day. How might you rest more—during the day, too?
7. Reflect on how you could be light to others. Maybe even, like St. Nicholas on his feast day Dec. 6, you act but don’t let them know.
If bringing light to someone who is seriously ill, to aging family members or considering your own future years, my award-winning and #1 Amazon bestseller, The Courage to Care: Being Fully Present with the Dying, offers stories, strategies and songs to make any darkness lighter. And it’s now on sale! Scan the code.
So, what did you do to lighten up your life or someone else’s?
How did it go?
Reply and let me know.
Blessings always,
Linda
Comments