As Far As You Know

Today marks the winter solstice, which means the fall is officially over--even though it seemed like it ended quite a while ago!--and winter begins. Far more important to me is the fact that for the next six months the days will be getting longer. Ancient cultures used to like solstice fires to give the sun strength, having watched it slowly drop in the sky for months. People believed that solstice rituals were critically important to bringing humanity out of the darkness and cold. Though winter has a way to go, the Northern Hemisphere starts its gradual tilt closer to the sun, and that is worth celebrating.