The Light Returns

Over a year ago, my last post of 2024 signed off with the hope that 2025 be a year of light -- for my readers, and for the planet. Well... I think we can all agree that sometimes the light has seemed very far away. We are indeed living in challenging times.

A dark, fog-shrouded December solstice day, Victoria Inner Harbour. 

In the twenty days since the solstice we have gained 20 minutes of daylight in Victoria. And now as the Earth's orbit around the sun changes its angle, the rate will increase as the light returns to the northern hemisphere.

This is not a political blog, so I am not diving into the rabbit hole of politics. However, there is awareness, and there is resistance. I recently read the following quote, attributed variously to the anthropologist Margaret Mead, or to the evangelical pastor Charles Swindoll.

We are continually faced with great opportunities which are brilliantly disguised as unsolvable problems.

This perspective is one of possibility, which I like. It frames our current multiple crises as opportunities, rather than sources of despair. 

Now, it is time for some photos, to illuminate the world of beauty around us. I will start with a story about Iran, which is in the news today because of massive protests, crackdowns by security forces, internet blackouts, and horrendous loss of life on a scale that we can only guess at.

On December 21 I went to a celebration of Yalda, hosted by members of Victoria's Iranian community. Yalda is the night of the winter solstice.

Here are a few images.

Yalda night is celebrated with food, and colours associated with the sun. The red pomegranate symbolizes the return of the sun.

Intricate detail from the tapestry on the table at Yalda night.

One of the platters on the table. What astounding artistry!

Another platter, detail.

The Persian culture is millennia old. I've learned a little about it from an Iranian friend. A couple of years ago I was so taken by the contrast between our north American celebration of the time around the solstice, and the Persian celebration of Yalda, that I wrote a poem, "Two Mid-Winter Nights".  I was surprised and pleased that the poem won second prize in the Victoria Writers' Society annual writing contest.

Moving from the Persian celebration of the solstice, to how we in North American celebrate the dark nights around the winter solstice, and invite the light to return. One of the obvious ones is with our seasonal light displays.

An orca outside the Greater Victoria Harbour Authority.

And an octopus, also at the Harbour Authority.

The short days, and the amount of rain, sometimes makes it hard to get much walking in. I just read that the month of December had over 150% of normal rainfall in Victoria! Despite that, I've been able to squeeze some walks in between downpours.

The light might be dull, but the grasses in the Garry Oak meadows are vibrantly green at this time of year.

Despite the rain, there has been light.

An early January shaft of sunlight illuminating the red bark of an arbutus tree in Beacon Hill Park.

On the same day the sun shone on the arbutus, I caught it illuminating a pine cone.

Pattern in nature....

Our flat grey skies provide little light for interesting photography.

The light was drab, but I was intrigued by the silhouette of Garry oak trees against the pallid sky.

Even on dull days, the light picks up pastels, as the funky image below shows. 

The Clarence Street teacup tree, with the white teacups catching light. The tree has spawned offspring. In the distance are more trees, most of them decorated with seasonal balls which hang permanently.

With the short days, of course, we spend more time indoors -- including restaurants.

James Bay Inn restaurant, and some of its art deco themes. This mirrored post reflects a lot of light!

One more image of some of the art deco fixtures in the James Bay Inn restaurant.

I stepped into the BC Legislature a few weeks ago, and was captivated by the stained glass, which is all about using light to paint images. Here's one photo of a stained glass window:

I liked the theme of this window, on the Arts.

The vast expanse of the ocean is a giant mirror reflecting light. I feel very fortunate to be able to walk beside it; even on the gloomiest days, the ocean shines.

The sky is different each day. On this day the ocean was calm.

The ocean on a blustery day, with magnificent waves and sky.

I will finish this post with one final homage to light -- a distant rainbow shining near Ogden Point.

A light-filled sky, with the rainbow splitting it into colour.

May we all emerge from darkness with creative positive energy.