Potential Time

The harvest is gathered in, the feast of thanksgiving is past. It is a time to hunker down as cold and dark replaces heat and light. There’s something about the growing darkness, the growing cold, that can lower our spirits.

By the 21st of December, the darkness has reached the deepest into our days. But then, ever so slowly, we begin to gain a bit more light. By the 25th, we’re certain, the sun is returning and with relief we know the darkness will pass and joy replaces dread.

There are twenty-nine holidays celebrated around the world between November and January. Christmas, the predominant h...