Five Years a Writer

I don’t much like the dark. My mind conjures endless bad things that might be, could be, likely are, lurking in its depths. Give me a light, even a sliver of light, and my breath comes easier, my pulse slows down, I can deal with the lesser dark that that sliver of light creates. So it is with the winter solstice: In the northern hemisphere, every December 21st brings with it that teeny tiny sliver of additional light and the promise it holds. I wrote last year about how, incrementally, the light returns to our days after we mark this point in the year. With each year that passes, I appreciate this day more. And, as the years pass, I am learning that light comes into my life in many different ways. Yes, the sun, of course. But also an act of kindness brings light into my day. Or a meaningful exchange with someone well known or not so familiar to me. A laugh brought on by smart humour. Or a moment of joy from the power of music to move me. All these experiences can bring if not actual...