Winter solstice

 Today’s the day that the sun stands still, or stops moving to the south and starts returning toward the north. The ancient peoples of the North helped it — or got in tune with it — by burning a yule log and hearing prophesies of the bards.

The winter solstice seems like a good time for settling accounts. It’s undeniably a long night. The workday is shortened. There’s time to think.

It also seems like a good time for fireplaces and candles, good lights for sitting and thinking, leaving the electric lights for working (on another day).

Maybe firelight and candlelight are the best lights for letting go of things, including all those plans for the year that didn’t work. Once I’ve said goodbye to the things that didn’t work, maybe it’ll be easier to think about the things that might work better.