More Light!

Here at the end of the year, holidays galore are celebrated. (This is the origin of the "Happy Holidays" greeting - retailers don't want to risk offending anyone with cashy money. It's not so much a "war on Christmas" as it is "please, come spend!") When you stop amid the hustle-bustle and think about it, it seems that every holiday centers around the concept of Light. This makes astronomical sense, at least for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, since we've just passed the marker of the winter solstice. Our part of the world is hunkering down for the long, dark nights of winter - perfect for reflection and pondering, but also perfect for the winter blues as our span of daylight is short.

So - Christmas lights, Hanukkah menorahs, Kwanzaa candles, Yule logs - and I'm sure there are many others at this time of year. Bring the light that we're missing from our shortened days inside to our homes and hearths, along with the scent of pine, fir, cedar, mulled cider, fresh-baked bread and sweets - seriously, no wonder we're more inclined to be a touch nicer to each other! (Side note - based on this, yes - we certainly SHOULD try harder to keep this holiday spirit all the year round!)

I'm looking forward to 2017 - some wonderful things are going to happen in this shiny new year. Oh, there will be bumps as well; that's how you know you're moving forward, but it's going to be a good, GOOD year. While I'm tempted to make resolutions galore (pretty much all the usual suspects there), I'm resisting. Well, except for one. In 2017, I want to be kind and find delight in my days. In short, I want to reflect more light.

That's it. But I think it's enough.

I'm a reader and I've collected quite a few books on self-care, decluttering, being the change you want to see in the world, creating an oasis of calm, downshifting, and so on. All have good advice in general, but it's time to get specific. What works for me? What doesn't work for me? In short, how can I put on my own oxygen mask so that I can help others with theirs? I've discovered a number of things that work, and sharing those, along with my efforts to find more, will be the focus of this blog in the next year. I hope you join me for that journey - it's going to be a fun one!

See you in the New Year and - however you celebrate, may this final week of 2016 be what you most delight in!