~
Sometimes when we least expect it, something amazing and profound hits us out of the blue, more often than not, it comes from a source that we least expect.
I am one of “those people” who prefers to use the words “Happy Holidays” to greet people during the winter holiday season in order to respect and acknowledge the fact that the season is shared by many faiths and traditions. It’s not a “war on Christmas”, it’s merely being inclusive and respectful.
I am not a Christian, but I do celebrate Christmas as a holiday of shared seasonal traditions. I celebrate it as a season of light, hope and ideally, peace on earth. To me, rebirth and renewal is a universal concept.
On Christmas morning, I walked to my neighborhood corner market to pick up something for a celebration that I was going to attend later in the day. The weather was beautiful, the air was crisp and clean, and I was still enjoying fond memories of a celebration with good friends the night before.
As I looked out on to the deep blue waters of Commencement Bay, I also contemplated all the stress and depression that many people feel at this time of year, and how truly sad that is. I thought of all the pressure that our society puts on people to be happy and have the “perfect” holiday, and how many end up disappointed and frustrated. I thought of those who have lost loved ones, and for whom this time of year brings only painful memories of loss.; and as I watched a homeless man digging in the trash, I thought sadly of those who don’t even have a home and a hot meal. It seemed so wrong to me that a season that is supposed to be about happiness and joy brings stress, depression and sadness to so many. I was feeling pretty darn jaded.
I was distracted from my train of thought when I stopped to chat with a friend from work at the little coffee shop on the corner, and was then greeted by familiar faces and smiles at our little neighborhood market. I made my purchases and began my walk back home, my mind drifting back to the sadness I was thinking about earlier..
And then, I heard it on the air.
At first it was faint and distant; then it began go gain strength and seemed to be coming from all around me.
Music, bells, magic.
I live in an old, historic neighborhood where most of the buildings are at least 100 years old. It contains several beautiful old churches.
Resounding across the waters of Commencement Bay, the castle that is now Stadium High School and the old brick buildings filled with history, was “Gloria, In Excelious Deo…” coming from real bells in an old church (I don’t know which one) that has an organ controlling the bells. Next I heard, “Joy to the World” and was reminded that this indeed is a season of hope for many traditions.
I stopped walking and just stood there to listen, appreciate the world around me and experience something that was very powerful. It was then that I noticed other people stopped on the streets, also mesmerized by the magical sounds. They came out of their businesses and homes to sit on the stoops and listen, some even pulled their cars to the side of the road and turned off their engines. Everyone, regardless of their religious upbringing, traditions or even current life circumstances was smiling in shared joy for the beauty in the air surrounding us. Most of us did not know nor had even seen each other before that moment; yet we felt an undeniable connection of the spirit.
For one brief moment, the world stood still, filled with peace, love and joy.
It doesn’t matter which church, religion, tradition or building that joyful sound came from. There are certain messages in this world that are universal.
If only we could all share more moments like the one I experienced Christmas morning in a tiny Tacoma neighborhood.
~
Happy Winter Solstice a bit in advance, since I’m not going to have any spare time for blogging over the next several days. (Of course, it is only Winter Solstice for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere; happy Summer Solstice to our friends South of the equator)
The days will slowly get longer again. For those of us in the far dark, frozen North, this is a big BIG deal!
For some reason, it’s an even bigger deal for me this year as I’ve had some difficulty with the short, dark days this year despite my best efforts to take lots of vitamin D, get plenty of exercise and get outside as much as I can.
Winter Solstice is the promise of new life; we really won’t notice the days getting longer until closer to Candlemas/Brigid/Ground Hog’s Day.
Tomorrow night, a group of about 40 of us or so will gather to celebrate. There will be food, drink and friendship as part of our annual observance.
We will burn the Yule log (log from my friend Patricia’s yard, a bit of last year’s tree, boughs from this year’s tree and herbs from my garden) in the fire pit outside and pass the light from that fire to a circle of friends, we will put our wishes for the new season into a wish lantern and then we’ll return inside for more food, fun and drink.
If the weather doesn’t cooperate (right now could be dry, wet or snowy-welcome to the Pacific Northwest), we’ll pass the light inside from a candle on the Yule Log, write our hopes/wished/dreams down on paper and launch the lantern another time.
It doesn’t matter what religion you are or aren’t. It doesn’t matter what you believe. The Solstice is an astronomical event that draws everyone together at this time of year to celebrate light, love and hope.
Each year, I love to post the Northern Exposure video to the story Raven Steals the Light being told (I’ve used it for the children’s story at Solstice rituals in years past)
It is a traditional story from the Northwest Coast and Alaska.
I like this Northern Exposure version.
Not everyone knows this, but the town of ‘Cicily Alaska” is about an hour and a half from where I live, and is in fact Roslyn Washington (yes, I’ve been to The Brick)
and here’s another wonderful story of light in a magical part of the world (the Great Pacific Northwest)…
And of course, my traditional Solstice post/greeting…
On this night, around 3,000 years BC, a very special event unfolds at a place we now call Newgrange. A group gathers around a large circular stone structure. A drumbeat resounds across the mist-shrouded hills of ancient Ireland, bump bump… bump bump… bump bump…; The heartbeat of mother earth. The scent of incense mingles with moss, moist earth and the burning torches. All gaze hopefully towards the eastern horizon. After what seems like an eternity, it happens, the rising sun begins its ascent. Once again all attention is turned to the structure with great anticipation. Suddenly an intense shaft of light pierces the innermost chamber of the structure, illuminating a stone basin adorned with carvings of spirals, eyes, solar disks, and other sacred symbols. A joyful sound rises from the crowd, who then begin to dance ecstatically. For the darkest darkness of winter has passed, and the light has returned. Soon: the hills will be covered in fresh green grasses and wildflowers, trees will bloom and set fruit, animals will give birth, the songs of birds will fill the skies. The cycle of life will continue. The world, once again, has been reborn.
Tonight we celebrate an event, which predates our modern religious celebrations, an event as old as time its self. Just as events like this were observed at Newgrange Ireland, we find similar ancient architectural wonders based on solstices and equinoxes all across Europe, Asia, The Americas, Indonesia and the Middle East. Thousands of years ago, these monolithic structures were built and elaborate ceremonies held, out of reverence for the cycle of life, and perhaps the fear that without human intervention, the sun would not return.
At the winter solstice, the tilt of the earth on its axis, is such that our hemisphere is leaning farthest away from the sun, our days are shortest and the sun is at the lowest arc in the sky. For thousands of years, our ancestors honored the cycles of life: solstices, equinoxes, harvests and plantings. The winter solstice is perhaps the most sacred of these celebrations. So sacred in fact, that modern religious observations all over the world take place on or near the time of the solstice. Solstice observance is not a celebration that excludes or dismisses any other religious celebration; rather it is the common bond of many modern and not so modern religions.
The time of the winter solstice represents death and rebirth, just as corn stalks wither and die in the fields in the fall, so does the symbolic god give his body to nourish the earth, only to be reborn of the goddess again on this darkest night. The original divine birth. Is it any wonder then: that the Christian church chose this sacred time of the year to celebrate the birth of Jesus, the Hebrew people to celebrate the Festival of Lights, or Native Americans and other aboriginal peoples to celebrate their sacred events?
Solstice is not only a time to celebrate the retreat of darkness and the return of the light, but it is a time to look inward, at the darkness within ourselves and to embrace it. For without darkness, there would be no light. Without challenge, there would be no triumph. It is a time to celebrate the death of old habits, thought patterns, and difficulties, a time to celebrate a spiritual renewal. The darkness gives us all a chance to embrace and work through our own darkness, so that like the earth, we may also be renewed.
L. Lisa Lawrence
Copyright 1998
Here’s our observance from 2007 (the video is just too much fun!)
Here’s last years from my back yard where the weather cooperated enough for a bonfire which I’m hoping it will this year as well. If not, we’ll just do it inside, the hopes and wishes can be written down and we’ll release the wish lantern another evening.
Here are the songs from the video, my favorite Winter Solstice songs…
“The Christians and the Pagans” by Dar Williams
Amber called her uncle, said, “We’re up here for the holiday,
Jane and I were having Solstice, now we need a place to stay.”
And her Christ-loving uncle watched his wife hang Mary on a tree,
He watched his son hang candy canes all made with red dye number three.
He told his niece, “It’s Christmas eve, I know our life is not your style,”
She said, “Christmas is like Solstice, and we miss you and it’s been a while.”
So the Christians and the Pagans sat together at the table,
Finding faith and common ground the best that they were able,
And just before the meal was served, hands were held and prayers were said,
Sending hope for peace on earth to all their gods and goddesses.
The food was great, the tree plugged in, the meal had gone without a hitch,
Till Timmy turned to Amber and said, “Is it true that you’re a witch?”
His mom jumped up and said, “The pies are burning,” and she hit the kitchen,
And it was Jane who spoke, she said, “It’s true, you’re cousin’s not a Christian,
But we love trees, we love the snow, the friends we have, the world we share,
And you find magic from your God, and we find magic everywhere.”
So the Christians and the Pagans sat together at the table,
Finding faith and common ground the best that they were able,
And where does magic come from , I think magic’s in the learning,
‘Cause now when Christians sit with Pagans only pumpkin pies are burning.
When Amber tried to do the dishes, her aunt said, “Really, no, don’t bother.”
Amber’s uncle saw how Amber looked like Tim and like her father.
He thought about his brother, how they hadn’t spoken in a year,
He thought he’d call him up and say, “It’s Christmas and your daughter’s here.”
He thought of fathers, sons and brothers, saw his own son tug his sleeve,
Saying, “Can I be a Pagan?” Dad said, “We’ll discuss it when they leave.”
So the Christians and the Pagans sat together at the table,
Finding faith and common ground the best that they were able,
Lighting trees in darkness, learning new ways from the old,
And making sense of history and drawing warmth out of the cold…
And of course, the required Solstice tune…
“Here comes the sun” by the Beatles
Here comes the sun, here comes the sun,
and I say it’s all right
Little darling, it’s been a long cold lonely winter
Little darling, it feels like years since it’s been here
Here comes the sun, here comes the sun
and I say it’s all right
Little darling, the smiles returning to the faces
Little darling, it seems like years since it’s been here
Here comes the sun, here comes the sun
and I say it’s all right
Sun, sun, sun, here it comes…
Sun, sun, sun, here it comes…
Sun, sun, sun, here it comes…
Sun, sun, sun, here it comes…
Sun, sun, sun, here it comes…
Little darling, I feel that ice is slowly melting
Little darling, it seems like years since it’s been clear
Here comes the sun, here comes the sun,
and I say it’s all right
It’s all right…
In a little under nineteen hours, the world is reborn again and will be filled with exciting possibilities!
I knew it was coming, but nothing prepares you for the day you open your mail box and…
BAM!!!
There it is, your AARP card.
“Stuff” just got real.
Prior to this in your face reality check, I’d already been doing some serious reevaluating of my life after all of the stress, life circumstances, female issues, cancer scare and recovery from surgeries that slowly drew me away from the things that were important to me.
When faced with the possibility of ovarian cancer, my priorities became extremely clear to me. (honestly, it was the best thing that ever happened to me)
Some things would need to wait until I had recovered from surgery such as backpacking, hiking, cycling, running, etc…
Others, were easy fixes (OK, quitting my lousy, unfulfilling, high stress job working with miserable people when I thought I might have cancer was anything but easy, but I took the risk anyway) getting away from people with unhealthy habits/too much drama who had somehow migrated into my life when I became less physically active and getting serious again about what I was eating and drinking. (my forced sedentary lifestyle and inattention to my dietary habits whilst super stressed out and associating with those who ate like pigs and drank like fish on a daily basis created some weight gain which I worked really hard to get rid of)
I made art a priority in my life again and when I was physically able, dance… (dance, a life long love and art form for me, had been gone from my life since the marriage due to an extremely jealous husband)
The ceramics studio I’ve wanted my whole life… is now almost completely set up in the basement. I also found a new love of glass blowing (its’ a gritty Tacoma thing) and I’ve recently been considering singing again.
I’ve reclaimed virtually everything that was important to me sans one thing, my music-my fiddle and guitar. I learned late in life, despite the fact that everyone told me you can’t learn to play an instrument as difficult as the violin as an adult (I was 41) It was the instrument I was drawn to, I always picked that part out when listening to a musical selection, once I finally picked it up, it made sense (bonus, I actually have good intonation)
I was just moving to an intermediate level where I was beginning to perform. Then one of my band mates died tragically and I almost died in a car accident a few days later. Due to the fractured shoulder I sustained in that accident, I could not place the instrument on my shoulder (I did force myself through one final performance at Summer Solstice in honor of Michelle whilst heavily drugged on pain killers and grief).
Once the shoulder healed, I still had nerve damage and my fingers would not work correctly. Soon, I lost the muscle memory and then I lost the music in my head and the fiddle remained on the wall, a sad reminder of something I lost/gave up on.
The next time I started back up (even went back and took lessons) all the drama with my mothers illnesses, surgeries and suicide along with some bad work drama shut me down just as I was beginning to make progress. Then came buying, moving into and restoring the house, then came the health issues and cancer scare then recovering from all of that.
My last step of this process, the last stage is reclaiming my music and I will do it this time.
As 50 approached, I’d been talking to two of my dearest “biker scum” (aka cyclist) friends, Julie (just turned 53) and Leo (just turned 60) about a discussion they’d recently had about how you enter your 50′s sets the tone for the 2nd half of your life.
Their assertion is that the physical shape and mindset in which you enter your 50s sets the tone for the rest of your life.
I think they’re right.
In honor of turning 50, some good friends and I went on a hike. My first official act as a 50 year old was to climb a tree. (to those who know me well, this makes perfect sense)
Part of the week long Lisa turns 50 celebration also involved running (the streets of Tacoma, in costume) with the Tacoma Runners, attending and throwing a Halloween party wearing an age inappropriate red riding hood costume with a very short skirt, and a 50 for 50 bike ride from Golden Gardens to the RedHook Brewery which still needs to be rescheduled due to weather.
Why yes, I am planning on being an extremely eccentric old lady, and I’m starting now. I come by it honesty enough, I like to joke that my maternal grandmother ran with wolves before it was fashionable to do so. Well into her 70′s she consorted with artists, writers and bohemians, keeping a sleeping bag in the back of her car for spontaneous trips to Baja; she lived alone in the desert collecting glass and digging for gemstones which she turned into works of art/jewelry.
One of the many joys of being 50 is that I don’t have to care as much about what people think I should be and do; I don’t have to worry so much about appearance. I know who I am and what I want.
Some people dread turning 50 (or 40 or 30) but for me, it’s freeing and empowering. It’s a time in my life where I can concentrate on things that are important to me.
Having been 50 for a few weeks now, I’ve had opportunity to look back at what I’ve learned (especially over the last year) and to honestly say that I think I’m in a pretty good place in my life. Yes, I’m damaged, a bit rough around the edges and will always be a work in progress (aren’t we all?) but I’m pretty happy with where I am and more importantly who I am right now.
So what has it taken me 50 years to learn? Way more than I could ever cover in a blog post or even a book, but I’m going to try to summarize some general highlights here:
Challenge yourself, try something new; step outside your comfort zone.
Take risks, big risks, small risks, take them; they help you feel alive! So what if you fail? you will have learned something and will not have those “what if” regrets (for me, stagnating and being unhappy is a much bigger failure than not trying)
Learn something. Read a book, sign up for a class, take up a new hobby, be interested in the world.
Don’t live in the past. Your past does not define you, it merely strengthens you. Learn from it, then move on and live in and enjoy the present.
LOVE, love freely. It does not have to be romantic love; there are all kinds of love; love for friends, family, pets, community…
If you are not happy with/by yourself, you won’t be happy in a relationship.
The saying that you “are the sum of the five people you spend the most time with” is true. Seek out those who are filled with passion, joy, inspiration and energy; those things are contagious (so are yucky things like negativity, jealousy, gossip, drama and being a perpetual victim)
If you don’t feel valued in a relationship, be it personal, romantic or business, it is not where you belong.
If you feel that you need to change to be loved/accepted, you are in the wrong place/situation/relationship.
If someone continually makes you feel bad about yourself, it’s not you, it’s them. RUN do not walk away.
Your body is your temple, treat it as such fill it with good food, regular exercise and adventure.
Be grateful. Every day, especially when you are sad. Think of at least one thing a day you are grateful for and say it out loud. You’d be amazed how this practice can change/improve your sense of well being.
Art, books and music are important to our sense of self, well being and the world around us.
Find some way to “give back” to the world; it doesn’t have to be an expensive or grand gesture. Sometimes the smallest kindness makes the biggest impact on someone’s life and world.
On a more personal note:
It is not my job to “fix” people. Yes, I grew up in an abusive alcoholic home and am a classic “care taker”. Put a fork in me, I’m done. Yes, I’m happy to help people in need and everyone has their bad times and needs support, but I’m done allowing myself to be treated badly/putting up with bad behavior because I somehow tied my self worth to taking care of others to my own detriment.
Being a martyr does not make me a better person. I’d like to think that I do at least one thing a day that in some way makes the world a better place or makes someone’s day a bit brighter. I don’t have to sacrifice myself and my happiness to be a good person. I deserve my own happiness and maybe, just maybe to have someone support my hopes/dreams/needs once in a while.
I am an artist, a bohemian I don’t necessarily think and act the same way everyone else in our society does (or has been told they are supposed to) and that’s OK. People can appreciate that, or they can go along their merry way. Trying to dress me up in high heels (ridiculous things for anything other than costuming) and makeup (which is fine for performances and special occasions, but really? Since when is it required to paint ones’ face in order to be able to be seen in public on a daily basis?) manicures, expensive hair treatments every two weeks, or stick me in a cubicle in the corporate world is like putting a wild creature in a small cage. Yes, I work hard, function in society and pay my mortgage, but that doesn’t make me the same as everyone else. I’m not only OK with that, I’m learning to embrace it.
I’ve been paying a lot of attention as of late to the people I am drawn to and why…
I was asking myself just the other day why I was not attracted in a romantic way to a gentleman who was a perfect match “on paper” but have found myself attracted to someone else who might fall outside of one or two of my self imposed “parameters”.
When I really cut it down to bare essence, there is a certain “spark” in a person that draws me to them… passion, joy, zest for living… a light in their eyes and on their face.
The people I want to be around (in all areas of my life), are those with that “spark”.
~
Last night, a group of friends came over to celebrate Solstice.
These friends were from a wide variety of backgrounds: Unitarian, First Nations, Eclectic, Christian, Jewish, Buddhist, Atheist, Agnostic, Wiccan, and those just seeking; all of us drawn together by the season.
We gathered around the bonfire in my back yard to celebrate the shared theme of the season: Light, Love and Hope.
We burned what we wanted to leave behind in the dark, and offered up what we wanted to bring with us into the light.
We passed the light, sang a rousing rendition of “Here come’s the Sun” and set our hopes and dreams afloat on a Wish Lantern.
After that, we went back into the house where I cooked up my infamous once a year, Solstice only treats, Crab Rangoons and stuffed mushrooms. (which were devoured in short order)
We had music (guitar and song), food, drink, friendship and a wonderful start to the season of light.
I posted video of the observance (even edited down, it’s long, so you might want to get a snack or beverage)
Tonight after doggie class, I need to get my fire stuff together and head over to another solstice observance and spin some fire! (in sub freezing temps, so much fun!)
How wonderful is it, that so many traditions gather at this sacred time of year to celebrate Life, Love and Hope?
~
Happy Winter Solstice (to those in the Northern Hemisphere; happy Summer Solstice to our friends South of the equator)
It’s only Solstice today for those of us in the US Central Time Zone and West. It will be at 9:30 PM tonight West Coast Time and it is 5:30 AM GMT/UTC).
The days will slowly get longer again. For those of us in the far dark, frozen North, this is a big BIG deal!
Winter Solstice is the promise of new life; we really won’t notice the days getting longer until closer to Candlemas/Brigid/Ground Hog’s Day.
Tonight I will gather with a group of friends to celebrate the solstice. There will be food, drink and friendship as part of our annual observance. (the cool thing is, the event will occur while we are gathered
We will burn the Yule log (log from my friend Patricia’s yard, a bit of last year’s tree, boughs from this year’s tree and herbs from my garden) in the fire pit outside and pass the light from that fire to a circle of friends, we will put our wishes for the new season into a wish lantern and then we’ll return inside for more food, fun and drink.
It doesn’t matter what religion you are or aren’t. It doesn’t matter what you believe. The Solstice is an astronomical event that draws everyone together at this time of year to celebrate light, love and hope.
Each year, I love to post the Northern Exposure video to the story Raven Steals the Light being told (I’ve used it for the children’s story at Solstice rituals in years past)
It is a traditional story from the Northwest Coast and Alaska.
I like this Northern Exposure version.
Not everyone knows this, but the town of ‘Cicily Alaska” is about an hour and a half from where I live, and is in fact Roslyn Washington (yes, I’ve been to The Brick)
and here’s another wonderful story of light in a magical part of the world (the Great Pacific Northwest)…
And of course, my traditional Solstice post/greeting…
On this night, around 3,000 years BC, a very special event unfolds at a place we now call Newgrange. A group gathers around a large circular stone structure. A drumbeat resounds across the mist-shrouded hills of ancient Ireland, bump bump… bump bump… bump bump…; The heartbeat of mother earth. The scent of incense mingles with moss, moist earth and the burning torches. All gaze hopefully towards the eastern horizon. After what seems like an eternity, it happens, the rising sun begins its ascent. Once again all attention is turned to the structure with great anticipation. Suddenly an intense shaft of light pierces the innermost chamber of the structure, illuminating a stone basin adorned with carvings of spirals, eyes, solar disks, and other sacred symbols. A joyful sound rises from the crowd, who then begin to dance ecstatically. For the darkest darkness of winter has passed, and the light has returned. Soon: the hills will be covered in fresh green grasses and wildflowers, trees will bloom and set fruit, animals will give birth, the songs of birds will fill the skies. The cycle of life will continue. The world, once again, has been reborn.
Tonight we celebrate an event, which predates our modern religious celebrations, an event as old as time its self. Just as events like this were observed at Newgrange Ireland, we find similar ancient architectural wonders based on solstices and equinoxes all across Europe, Asia, The Americas, Indonesia and the Middle East. Thousands of years ago, these monolithic structures were built and elaborate ceremonies held, out of reverence for the cycle of life, and perhaps the fear that without human intervention, the sun would not return.
At the winter solstice, the tilt of the earth on its axis, is such that our hemisphere is leaning farthest away from the sun, our days are shortest and the sun is at the lowest arc in the sky. For thousands of years, our ancestors honored the cycles of life: solstices, equinoxes, harvests and plantings. The winter solstice is perhaps the most sacred of these celebrations. So sacred in fact, that modern religious observations all over the world take place on or near the time of the solstice. Solstice observance is not a celebration that excludes or dismisses any other religious celebration; rather it is the common bond of many modern and not so modern religions.
The time of the winter solstice represents death and rebirth, just as corn stalks wither and die in the fields in the fall, so does the symbolic god give his body to nourish the earth, only to be reborn of the goddess again on this darkest night. The original divine birth. Is it any wonder then: that the Christian church chose this sacred time of the year to celebrate the birth of Jesus, the Hebrew people to celebrate the Festival of Lights, or Native Americans and other aboriginal peoples to celebrate their sacred events?
Solstice is not only a time to celebrate the retreat of darkness and the return of the light, but it is a time to look inward, at the darkness within ourselves and to embrace it. For without darkness, there would be no light. Without challenge, there would be no triumph. It is a time to celebrate the death of old habits, thought patterns, and difficulties, a time to celebrate a spiritual renewal. The darkness gives us all a chance to embrace and work through our own darkness, so that like the earth, we may also be renewed.
L. Lisa Lawrence
Copyright 1998
Here’s our observance from 2007 (the video is just too much fun!)
Here are the songs from the video, my favorite Winter Solstice songs…
“The Christians and the Pagans” by Dar Williams
Amber called her uncle, said, “We’re up here for the holiday,
Jane and I were having Solstice, now we need a place to stay.”
And her Christ-loving uncle watched his wife hang Mary on a tree,
He watched his son hang candy canes all made with red dye number three.
He told his niece, “It’s Christmas eve, I know our life is not your style,”
She said, “Christmas is like Solstice, and we miss you and it’s been a while.”
So the Christians and the Pagans sat together at the table,
Finding faith and common ground the best that they were able,
And just before the meal was served, hands were held and prayers were said,
Sending hope for peace on earth to all their gods and goddesses.
The food was great, the tree plugged in, the meal had gone without a hitch,
Till Timmy turned to Amber and said, “Is it true that you’re a witch?”
His mom jumped up and said, “The pies are burning,” and she hit the kitchen,
And it was Jane who spoke, she said, “It’s true, you’re cousin’s not a Christian,
But we love trees, we love the snow, the friends we have, the world we share,
And you find magic from your God, and we find magic everywhere.”
So the Christians and the Pagans sat together at the table,
Finding faith and common ground the best that they were able,
And where does magic come from , I think magic’s in the learning,
‘Cause now when Christians sit with Pagans only pumpkin pies are burning.
When Amber tried to do the dishes, her aunt said, “Really, no, don’t bother.”
Amber’s uncle saw how Amber looked like Tim and like her father.
He thought about his brother, how they hadn’t spoken in a year,
He thought he’d call him up and say, “It’s Christmas and your daughter’s here.”
He thought of fathers, sons and brothers, saw his own son tug his sleeve,
Saying, “Can I be a Pagan?” Dad said, “We’ll discuss it when they leave.”
So the Christians and the Pagans sat together at the table,
Finding faith and common ground the best that they were able,
Lighting trees in darkness, learning new ways from the old,
And making sense of history and drawing warmth out of the cold…
And of course, the required Solstice tune…
“Here comes the sun” by the Beatles
Here comes the sun, here comes the sun,
and I say it’s all right
Little darling, it’s been a long cold lonely winter
Little darling, it feels like years since it’s been here
Here comes the sun, here comes the sun
and I say it’s all right
Little darling, the smiles returning to the faces
Little darling, it seems like years since it’s been here
Here comes the sun, here comes the sun
and I say it’s all right
Sun, sun, sun, here it comes…
Sun, sun, sun, here it comes…
Sun, sun, sun, here it comes…
Sun, sun, sun, here it comes…
Sun, sun, sun, here it comes…
Little darling, I feel that ice is slowly melting
Little darling, it seems like years since it’s been clear
Here comes the sun, here comes the sun,
and I say it’s all right
It’s all right…
In a little under thirteen hours, the world is reborn again and will be filled with exciting possibilities!
I am approved for a modest home loan to buy a modest house in a gritty Tacoma neighborhood.
Ideally, it will be a cute little craftsman fixer upper.
I will have a garden and a greenhouse again.
I will have bird feeders so that BadKitty (an indoor cat) will again be able to watch birds (her favorite activity), chatter and run around like a maniac. (maybe she’ll drop some of her “small apartment pudge”)
I will have a guest room so my friends can have a comfortable place to sleep when they come visit.
I will have a real dining room in which to serve my (day after) Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve meals to friends.
I will have a hot tub and a BBQ grill (I have budgeted for these)
I will no longer share walls (or ceilings or floors) with people not of my choosing.
At this time last year, I could not even imagine this.
I am going house shopping today after work.
One year ago today, the plan dream I laid out here came true (and then some).
One year ago today, I closed escrow on my gritty little house on Tacoma’s hilltop.
Not only do I have the old house with the original wood floors, dining room for entertaining, fabulous garden and a kitty who is happy, healthy and fit, I have found a wonderful community up here.
Words can’t do the last year justice, so I put it to music in a slide show…
This old house has stood for nearly 100 years
It was occupied by Italian immigrants in 1917
It housed families during the great depression
It has seen troops return from two world wars
This old house was built from the forests of the Pacific Northwest
Its beams are thick and sturdy
Its floors are old growth Douglas Fir
Its roof grows moss if not well maintained
This old house is in a historic neighborhood
It has been the home of the Crips gang
It has fallen into disrepair
It has been lovingly restored
This old house is guarded by lion statues in the front
Its old Bay Laurel tree in the back is home to a nest of crows
It is in a vibrant, revitalized community
It is surrounded by friendly, caring, proactive neighbors
This old house will be warm and welcoming
it will host many holiday gatherings
it will offer hospitality to friends, family and neighbors
it will be filled with love
This old house is flawed
This old house is beautiful
This house is a work in progress
This old house is loved
~
No matter if you call it Alban Eilir, Ishtar, Eastre, Eostre, Ostara or Easter this time of year (around the time of the Vernal or Spring Equinox) is a time for celebrating life renewed, resurrection and fertility.
Even though we’ve had a record breaking cold, wet, icy miserable excuse for “spring” around here (with the exception of the beautiful day on Saturday when everyone in the region went nuts), the daffodils and tulips are blooming the fruit trees are bursting forth with new life, egg laying chickens are back to full production, our pets are hyper and the robin in my back yard is singing as loud as he can nearly 24/7 to attract a mate from the ladies in the park across the street. (dear Hilltop lady robins, please take pity on this poor guy, he’s driving me nuts)
Yesterday was celebrated as Easter by many in our country, most of whom do not know that it is actually a Pagan celebration. (the link is pretty cool, go ahead… give it a click)
Although I don’t celebrate the co opted Christian version of the holiday, it seemed like a great day to host a Sunday brunch honoring spring for some of my many eclectic friends. (one of the many joys of being eclectic/a spiritualist is more things to celebrate
I enjoyed setting my table with my mother’s antique china and crystal (just disregard the cheap Fred Meyer champagne glasses) and fresh cut flowers from my garden (everyone got to take one home)
I served cocktail shrimp, mimosas and my new gourmet deviled eggs (backyard eggs with pepper, garlic, super blue cheese dressing, garnished with bacon) as appetizers.
Good Food, Friends and Conversation filled the afternoon.
There were even a couple of treats courtesy of Knut and Alice. I bit the head off of the chocolate covered peep right away. The ducky pez dispenser will go into my ducky collection.
~
Valentine’s day always brings out an interesting mix of emotions, responses and often dysfunction among people.
First there are the couples spending their first valentine’s day together who are super mushy and sometimes downright obnoxious about it. (personally, I think it’s kind of cute)
There are couples who’ve been together a while and who genuinely enjoy celebrating the holiday and doing nice things for each other.
Then there are the overachieving couples who want to outdo everyone else (these would be the same people who have the big ass SUVs in the driveway and the biggest flat screen TV in the neighborhood) and celebrate “love” with pretentious displays of extravagant gifts (better if delivered to work to make everyone else jealous) and reservations at the finest restaurants which they had to bribe their way into a year in advance. They will brag to everyone they know (in person and on social media) about how great and expensive their gifts and dinner were. These, are the “competitors”.
Next, are couples who have been together for a long time for whom it’s no longer a big deal, but they may give a card or cook a nice dinner.
Some, pride themselves on being different. A couple of years ago, my then boyfriend and I went on a backpacking trip out to the coast. As we sat next to the driftwood fire, grilling seafood and veggies and toasting with a glass of wine as the sun set, we giggled and felt a bit sorry for those who were fighting the crowds for dinner reservations.
Some couples “refuse to be told” how and when they should celebrate their love and refuse to participate on principle. It’s just a “damn Hallmark holiday after all.” (this is really a drag when only one person in the relationship feels this way and the other would really like a token of love and respect, even a small one)
It’s all (well except for the last bit) quite amusing to watch.
What is less amusing to watch, is the reaction many single people have to Valentine’s Day.
“Bitter… Party of One…”
Some rant and rave against “the machine” while others declare it “Singles Awareness Day”. Uh, let me tell you something, we’re all well aware that you’re single, you’ve been whining about it for a week.
Seriously folks, Valentine’s Day is NOT an attack on you if you are not in a relationship.
Is it a Hallmark holiday? A contrived, cheesy effort to get people to spend their money?
Oh heck yes.
But then again, so are holidays that used to be sacred traditions.
This year, I was single for the holiday. Not for lack of suitors (there have been a few, just none who I found acceptable) by choice. I have no desperate need to find someone, anyone in order to feel “loved” on this (or any other) day.
But that doesn’t mean that I can’t enjoy the holiday.
I love those silly, chalky, hard as a rock heart shaped candies with silly sayings on them. (including the most recent addition of “Tweet Me”).
I love buying the first red ripe strawberries of the season from Tacoma Boys and dipping them in a decadent home made chocolate ganache to be served with cocktail shrimp and champagne. I love buying bunches of early season tulips.
But more important, I love an excuse to celebrate.
And what better to celebrate that LOVE?
Romantic love is only one type of love. There are many more that can be celebrated.
Love for family, friends, pets, nature, your version of divinity/spirit, your favorite activity, your community, neighborhood, LIFE…
The most important love of all to celebrate is love (and respect) for yourself. Seriously, how do you expect someone else to love you and treat you right if you don’t love yourself?
This means knowing that you are worthy of love and that’s it’s OK to be single.
It means knowing that you do not need to settle for a crappy relationship with someone who doesn’t respect you and that you don’t need to rush out and find some loser to date so that you’re not “alone” on the holiday.
My holiday? I spent two days visiting friends, sharing gifties and perhaps eating a bit too much chocolate and drinking quite a bit of wine.
That evening, I invited some of my lovely friends over to shower them with love and the aforementioned chocolate dipped strawberries, shrimp and champagne. Everyone left with some fresh cut tulips. (everyone deserves flowers)
It was a wonderful evening filled with friendship, laughter and love.
My sincere wish is that everyone found some form of love to honor.
It’s not too late to love your self by taking advantage of 75% off sales on chocolate
~
I was super excited to host my first Hilltop Solstice instead of having it at someone else’s house or trying to cram people in that tiny apartment as I had to do for the last several years.
This was truly the best solstice ever, entirely because of the wonderful friends and neighbors who came to celebrate (32 people showed up, OMG that’s awesome)
I drug the fire pit out of the basement and set up the Yule log on the lower branches cut from the tree.
Of course, a huge log, even when surround by combustibles can benefit from the liberal application of tiki torch oil (citronella and cedar oil type).
And away we go…
It took several tries to get the first candle lit.
Once we got the light from the Yule log (comprised of a log gifted to me my by friend and neighbor Jim, a bit of last year’s yule log, a cutting of the base and some branches from this year’s tree, the piece of the pear tree that blew down in the wind storm a few weeks ago, holly, bay laurel, lavender, sage, mugwort, hawthorn berries and roses from my yard and ashes from the 13 indigenous grandmothers) we carried the “solstice light” inside the house.
I did the annual reading talking about why solstice is a sacred time for so many world traditions and the commonality they all share.
We then “passed the light” candle to candle around the circle (or rather an amoeba shaped circle that encompassed two rooms) while “The Christians and the Pagans” CD played. (singing, badly is not only allowed, but encouraged)
When all the candles were lit we raised them to symbolize the return of the light and the light we hope to bring into the world in the coming season.
Then while the CD played, we sang a joyful rendition of “Here Comes the Sun” and went back into party mode.
I made my traditional solstice Crab Rangoons and stuffed mushrooms
It was a fight to even get them out of the kitchen an on to the table. I was getting mugged trying to get out of the kitchen.
(although out of foucus, this picture cracks me up… I’m yelling “HOT” and Patricia looks worried that rangoons will fly)
It was a FABULOUS “Day After Thanksgiving Feast/Holiday Kickoff-Open House/Anti Black Friday Protest” last night with about 20 friends.
It is so wonderful to be able to do it in my own home again, instead of that crappy little apartment.
I’ll post more later, but in the mean time, here is a slide show of the photos, including the feast, decorations and some spinning practice on the new wheel. (because although Francine wanted to make me wait and learn to drop spindle first, she couldn’t resist the siren song of the wheel)
I hope everyone else had a wonderful holiday as well.
The kitchen of course, is a disaster, but I’m happy and blessed to have friends to dirty it up for.
