January 7
The Seeker: The Wheel of the Year
And so the wheel has turned. We are indeed in winter. Though we have celebrated Solstice some weeks ago, and the days are lengthening; still Jack Frost traces his fanciful designs upon our windows, soft fleece and thick socks are worn inside, and we fill our mugs with steaming concoctions of chocolate, tea, or coffee.
Some enjoy sunshine during their winters; those who live by desire or tradition in warm climes may well spend their winter days upon sunny beaches. Purchasing cool drinks or ices at confection stands or colorful carts; tan legs covering miles in an evening or early morning run, chasing the cool breezes.
I live, by both desire and tradition, in a climate with several seasons: Winter, Sludge, and Scorch.
Honestly I love Winter the best.
Now that Twelfth Night has passed. Now that the glitter, magic, and mystery which is Christmas Tide is being tucked away. {I own bin upon bin. The tucking away of Christmas takes me some days!} It is the time to settle into the beauty and courage which is winter. To trace the winter stars through chilled nights, to light the candles upon the windowsill, amidst the table, along the mantle. To rest our minds and our souls. To dream, as the earth is doing, in preparation for another spring, another summer of hurry and growth.
Seek quiet and steady this Illumination Month. Draw a chair nearer the fire, or if you haven’t a fireplace light a candle next your chairside table. Wrap yourself in a favorite soft blanket or sweater, wear fuzzy socks or slippers upon your feet. A mug of something hot to drink is a must; I am a tea lover myself. Black, fruit flavored, sweetened with honey or flavored syrups. A tablespoon or so of peppermint syrup is lovely in a cuppa black tea during wintertime. The mint taste and smell bring back the sounds of the Christmas which was, and shall be again. Black tea can be soothing to a stomach overfed with the savory and sweet meals the holidays bring.
And what to read? What to ponder… Any choice from the booklist accompanying this volume is, of course, much recommended. If you can find a copy, (and it is available online) Mrs. Miniver by Jan Struther is a lovely series of vignettes of the life of an upper middle class Englishwoman set during the 1930’s. Originally published as a series of columns in the Times, it presents an “ordinary sort of woman, doing ordinary sorts of things”. The results, later compiled in this slim volume, are nothing but ordinary. It is a spirit lifting and reaffirming read.
Let the warmth your cuppa spread throughout your body, sip your brew, pull your blanket closer, and relax into your Comfort Read.
It will do your spirit good.
