The Season of Light

 

It's always struck me odd that northerners refer to the dependably darkest time of their each and every year as 'the season of light.'

 

Like with everything else we do, there're a host of compiled reasons. Cultural, scientific, you name it. Dating all the way back to probably before the Pagans and in various forms sailing on clear through to today.

Believe whatever you want, for whatever reasons you wish. Regardless, this far north winter solstice spells deep dark and lots of it.

 

And it'll stay that way into March, so far as anyone'll notice on a daily basis. Then, as if the sky turned on a spigot, light and life will return.

 

Before that, winter promises a long climb and that's where we're at today.

 

This project is called "In Search of Perfect Light" not because perfect light's particularly rare. It isn't.

Many/most days feature some, however briefly.

But you must be looking for it.

Then willing & able to take what unexpectedly comes your way, and make the most of that.

 

My most perfect light of 2021 occurred during the last days of October. It was wholly unexpected, but I'd put myself in place to see it and when the opportunity came, I didn't miss.

 

Fungi are old. Way older than the human race. Ridiculously older than any mere belief. That pretty much by definition means fungus is more successful than we, at least to date.

 

Fungi are among the largest life forms on Earth. There's one in the U.P. that's three times the size of a Blue Whale.

Fungi are inherently collaborative. Imagine that.

 

Right down to their core existence, a fungus understands that life requires collaboration and without it, the community that sustains life dies.

 

I don't suppose most people give the 'lowly' fungus much thought, unless it's in their salad.

 

So I saved my most perfect light of 2021 to share during our communal acknowledgment of regeneration. A rich, stark light to pierce the dark season's most impenetrable days and remind us of what's to come.

 

What was there remains, even if hard to discern.

 

What is there still will be, when better light returns for us to see.

 

#winter #solstice