The Winter Solstice is here. The shortest day of the year and the longest night of the year. Now Nature moves towards rebirth, moves towards light.
(… sunrise 11/28)
The sun rose this morning. It was not full of color and sparkling light. Darkness gave way to grayness. I stayed warm in bed longer than usual wanting to really be mindful of the Solstice. Thinking about light.
I did a long breathing meditation. Just focused on breathing. Just breathing.
Eventually I thought about how lucky I am to have my family together for Christmas. Both of my children are adults and live out of town. So much gratitude fills my heart.
And I thought about that: a heart filled with gratitude. My heart dwells in gratitude this morning.
What a beautiful place of residence for the heart. Gratitude.
Where does your heart dwell?
Emily Dickinson has a poem titled “I dwell in Possibility….” What would your day, or life, be like if you chose to dwell in possibility?
“All the possibilities of your human destiny are asleep in your soul. You are here to realize and honor these possibilities. When love comes in to your life, unrecognized dimensions of your destiny awaken and blossom and grow. Possibility is the secret heart of time.”
John O’Donohue, Anam Cara: A Book of Celtic Wisdom
What would your day, your life be like if your heart lived in a place of possibilities, and by allowing love to come into your life, you saw people differently? All people. Any person.
What if you saw the hungry as not just being hungry for food, but hungry for truth, love, compassion?
What if you saw those in need of clothing/naked, as those who have been stripped of dignity, care or respect?
What if you saw the guilty as yourself, someone who made a mistake and is full of regret or need and trying to find their way again?
What if saw someone who was ill as yourself, needing help, care, compassion, someone to listen to them?
What if you saw your enemies as people who are suffering, denied basic human rights, in great need of basic life sustaining things, feeling threatened, feeling hopeless and realized they are people who can be turned into friends?
If your heart dwells in possibility.
Possibility is everywhere. The need to be loved is all around you. The opportunity to dwell in the possibility of offering love abounds.
Where does your heart dwell? In Possibility? In Compassion? In Hope? In Love?
If we choose to take up residence in one of these houses, Possibility, Compassion, Hope, Love, then we may find we have the unique opportunity to open the door and give a truly amazing and extraordinary gift…..the gift of love that turns enemies into friends. The gift of care and concern that heals the sick. The gift of truth that mends injustice, oppression and suffering. The gift of humanism that clothes and wraps people once again in dignity and respect. The gift of forgiveness that washes guilt and shame away and offers another chance. The gift of compassion that says “I care about you.” The gift of possibility that chooses to believe anything is possible.
Where does your heart dwell?
What doors will you open?
What gifts will you offer?
May this season of light and hope and promise fill your heart with compassion and love.
Peace.
Songs the Sunrise Sings 