The winter solstice, the longest night of the year, is behind us now. Every 24-hour period between until summer's zenith will have a little more light and a little less darkness than the one that came before it.
That’s the truth, astronomically. Will it also be true metaphorically? The vaccines are coming, but the distribution isn’t going as well as it should and the death toll keeps mounting. We should have been prepared distribute the vaccines and we’re not. The days will slowly get brighter, but there’s no way around it: it will not be easy or quick.
The solution lies not in our stars, but in ourselves. We must organize and demand the best from our government, and from each other, with clear priorities: to save as many lives as possible, and to build a just economy as quickly as possible.
We also need to remember that it's zero hour for the planet on which we live. I said the solution doesn't lie in the stars, but that's only partly true. The nearest star, the sun, can brighten and power our years to come.
Since it’s Christmas Eve, I’ve gone through the back catalog for holiday pieces I’ve written in the past. The last one may not sound like something that’s appropriate for the season, but trust me: it is – although it was originally written for Easter.
Consider This the Opening Salvo For The War On Christmas.
Celebrate Christmas the Old-Fashioned Way: Defy Authority!
The goal in each of these essays was to recognize the darknesses that surround us, and sometimes penetrate us, while at the same acknowledging that the light is always there. I'm no expert, but to me that's what this holiday represents: the rebirth of light in winter's darkness, and in each of us.
If you celebrate Christmas, I hope it’s a beautiful one. The world’s axis is now turning toward summer, expressing through the change of seasons the planet's incllination toward perpetual balance. May we incline toward that balance ourselves, recognizing and honoring it in the year to come.
And, as always, thanks for all you do –
Richard (RJ) Eskow
Managing Editor, Host/The Zero Hour
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