Fiat Lux - 12.21
As I write this morning, I
reflect on the significance of the day. In the northern
hemisphere December 21 is the winter solstice. Since prehistory, the winter solstice
has been seen as a significant time of year. In many cultures, it has been
marked by festivals and rituals to symbolize death and rebirth of the sun.Most noticeable about the
winter solstice is the reversal of the gradual lengthening of
nights and shortening of days. So as we head into the
longest night of the year, I would encourage you to look around and
remember the light. It’s hard not to notice that people often decorate
their homes, yards and businesses during this season. The lights brighten
the nights and early mornings, and they do bring a sense of hopefulness to the
season.
I have also heard that
Jupiter and Saturn will be the closest that they have been together in about
800 years, which is quite remarkable. It has truly been an
interesting year, a challenging year, a remarkable year.
We have seen the evolution of a pandemic related to a newly recognized
virus and an illness we did not know a year ago. We have
seen that this pandemic has brought to light the need to address
disparities in health as well as injustices that exist within our society
and its many institutions. While vaccines to protect against SARS
CoV-2 are being distributed, we struggle to find not only the treatments for,
but also the vaccines against, social injustice. And let us not
forget the seemingly endless election year. Hope is on the horizon, yet there
is still another election here in Georgia that will bridge into the new year.
So, in ten days as we transition from
2020 to 2021, try to remember the lights. Look around, embrace the
darkness tonight, the longest night. Reflect on the day and the year.
And plan to be a part of the light. Remember that the days will start to
get longer tomorrow.
The motto of my
undergraduate alma mater, Hiram College, is ‘Fiat Lux’…Let there be light.
As I reflect on the day, and the eventual longest
night, not only will I remember that motto, but I would adjust it a bit to
state: Let me be a light. A light of caring, a light of justice, a
light of hopefulness.
