The season’s essential blessings
In addition to signaling the holiday season, Christmas lights illuminate our properties and communities at the time of the year when hours of daylight are the least. That’s why the winter solstice, which just passed Dec. 22, is of such particular significance in the northern hemisphere.
Not only does this season herald the positive teachings of love and caring central to the Christian message, it also marks the reversal of decreasing amounts of light.
Light means life, and for thousands of years before Christmas celebrations began, civilizations celebrated the winter solstice as the most important event of the year. Given that light ultimately provides our food and warmth, it’s no surprise that people, especially in the more northerly climates, became, and continue to be, sun worshippers.
Light is also important to the healthy operation of our governing institutions. While the current struggles in our U.S. Congress dishearten and discourage, underlying all of it is the important openness of the process that can be laid in front of all of us for our mental digestion and, often, indigestion.
That push and pull marks a diverse culture striving to improve. The fact that much of it is done openly, and with the light of the press always shining on the process, helps ensure that the collective wisdom of all the people can be brought to bear to help inform, temper and strengthen the results.
The Kiplinger Report out of Washington, D.C., recently focused on the rise of the Chinese economy and questioned whether the yuan would eventually replace the U.S. dollar as the world’s favored reserve currency. Kiplinger concluded its lineup of reasons of why it didn’t see that happening with: “Finally, investors must see China as the safest place to put their money.
“And that won’t happen as long as the government in Beijing remains opaque.”
The Christmas season, so important because of its celebration of light and love, reminds us of the essential blessings that define our culture and our nation.
