The Merry moon before Yule, has glowed through the thin clouds these last few nights, but tonight when it is full, the clouds are perhaps too thick for it's glow to show through. Now as we near the Winter solstice, when the nights are the longest each little bit of light has become precious. We decorate our homes with light to welcome back the lengthening days. Much as our ancient ancestors lit bonfires to encourage the sun's return. The daylight hours will be longer when the next full Moon beams down on us. And that perhaps even the earth itself uses this dormant time to prepare for Spring.
I would call this the Moon of Silent Change, that time when Spring is so distant and we, like the tree and plants who overwinter, turn inward, nurture ourselves, develop our roots. Though there is no way to know if trees think or remember, it is my feeling that in some ways they do. And perhaps they tell one another stories in the silence of the long, dark winters nights.
Our ancestors told stories, and brought trees into their homes while they celebrated Yule and Christmas, did they know something that we have forgotten. Or was it just conviviality. And a way to amuse the children who were doubtless bored by being indoors. Tales of Odin bringing gifts and later Santa's presents placed under a tree brought in to make the home festive and sweet smelling, might have been more than a way of rewarding good children and encouraging good behavior in others.
So in this Merry Season and under the Merry Moon, let us remember others and hold our loved ones dear, take a moment, no many moments to be kind to ourselves and to look upward and remember that we are all in this together under the Merry Moon
