December 22, 2024

For several days around this time, the sun’s appearance on the horizon at sunrise and sunset seems to occur at the same spot before it slowly starts drifting south over the course of winter. Solstice comes from sol, the Latin word for “sun.” The ancients added sol to -stit (a form of sistere, which means “to stand still”) and came up with solstitium. Middle English speakers shortened solstitium to solstice in the 14th century (from Merriam Webster).

Yes, the sun is at a standstill about this time in late December. The calendar tells us that the sun is setting just a bit later each day now, but makes up for it by rising a little later each morning until sometime in early January. So, in other words, it is basically a wash or in Middle English terms … standing still. And, that is about how I feel these days… at a stand-still as these first days of the season tick by.

In winter, things seem to slow down. The sun barely makes it appearance in the overhead sky before it decides it has had enough of the day. We beg it for just a few more minutes of afternoon light, but it seems determined in its mission to put the day to rest. As it politely slinks down into the evening sky, it seems to be asking us to do the same. Put the day to sleep it seems to tell us. It is okay now. You have done enough with all that human planning and thinking and running around. Eat something simple. Climb into that wonderful bed that you have worked so hard to create. Sleep a blessed sleep. Do as the animals and the plant life about you have already done. Take a message from that wonderful light source we call the sun and practice what it means to solstice for just this time.