Against the Dying of the Light

When my daughter woke up the other day, she stopped me by the window to look at the moon as it held on to its last glow while the sun rose.  I tried to walk away with her in my arms, but she just kept crying out for the moon.  She was so drawn to its light…

As the light fades more and more from each afternoon surrendering to the winter, these days remind me of how we are all drawn by the light.  It’s why summer brings us out to play all day, and Times Square is an international beacon for millions…why the holidays’ promise of twinkle and glitter captures everyone in anticipation, why we want to stay under the covers when it’s dark and jump out when it’s bright, and why when the sky is dark, our eyes find the smallest point of brilliance.

We seemingly start the path to illumination from the moment of our birth, when still unable to focus our eyes, we turn our heads towards a beam of light.  And whatever the next part of life’s journey is from that point forward, our next steps are moving forward to more moments of light found in the twinkle of an eye, a flashing smile, a moment of learning, and teaching, the spark of an idea, and the glow of connection with others. We look for the light in others like moths to a flame, and feel grateful when we find umbrage under its halo.

As i am stopped mid-step at my office by the gloaming of the sun setting over the Hudson, i see the sunburst of rays through a cloud trying to hold up the light before the dark.  Sometimes, we just need reminders of how much light is already in our lives, like 100 photos of your favorite aunt to show you how much you were loved, or a night trip to see Aurora Borealis, or a simple phone call.  So look at your friends, your family, the sky, stars and all the reflections in between and find the light in your life. Because even when it’s dark, there is still the moon.

For a very special Celebration of Lights this weekend, check out the http://nyfol.org

To honor the Guardians of our Light and Freedom, please show your gratitude this Veteran's Day http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/lesson313.shtml or http://teachinghistory.org/spotlight/veterans-day

And to learn about the light of someone’s life that touched this world and mine, watch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHwVTptVgFM