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Tis' The Season


© Bob Ewing

Nov 27, 1998


The weather here stays unusually mild. Tuesday, the temperature reached 6 Celsius, a long way from the normal -10. If this trend stays we may not even have snow for the holidays, an unusual concern. We are rapidly approaching one of my favourite times of the year, Winter Solstice.

Now, I didn't grow up celebrating the Solstice. Christmas was a major event in my family home. Granted, it was more secular-oriented than spiritual, with piles of presents and tons of food and drink. I remember sitting around the Christmas tree for hours as we took turns opening presents. As I grew older, this activity diminished as I started to realize just how much we consumed and that others did not live this way.

When I look back, I feel that it was the lack of the spiritual connection that eventually led me away from Christams celebrations. I've worked in a number of group homes over the years and, for about a six-year period, I was the one who volunteered to work on December 25th. For me, this just felt right. The other staff would be home celebrating and I'd be at work, sharing the dinner preparation chores and the dishes afterward with the residents. Often on Christmas Eve, there would be a small gift echange between residents and staff. The warmth that filled the room at these times was uplifiting.

The Solstice, or Yule, is a time for sharing and a time for remembering. While the way we celebrate may change over time, what remains the same is our human need for the company of others, for a warm, safe spot we can call home.

These days I organize the local winter food bank food drive. We live in a time when the number of people who live in poverty is growing and the demands on the charity of strangers is ever-increasing. The Solstice or whichever event you celebrate is truly the season for giving.

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Here's the follow-up discussion on this article: View all related messages
2.   Dec 3, 1998 12:00 PM
Very beautifully said, Eileen.

-- posted by Bob_Ewing
1.   Dec 1, 1998 6:10 PM
I always look for ways to celebrate nature, and all of it's treasures. The Winter Solstice is one of my favorites.

I get up before dawn, and watch the sun rise over the ridge. I fill every bird fee ...

-- posted by Margot



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