Dark Night Of The Soul

Winter descends. The nights are long; the days are cold; the pandemic crests.  

Before Madison Avenue marketed the season as one of indulgence -- to eat, drink, be merry and celebrate by shopping, folks used this sacred time of the year to slow down, take refuge, eat less, think more, and reflect on the past, while planning for the future.

Philosophers, mathematicians, economists and religious leaders all remind us of the cyclical nature of the universe. What goes up, must come down. Joseph interpreted the Pharaoh’s dream by saying, Egypt will have seven years of prosperity followed by seven years of famine. 

When natural cycles function properly, allowing us to hit bottom and experience our dark night of the soul, all we are left with is the hope of the cycle's inevitability, when the phoenix rises from its ashes, and a ray of light overtakes vast darkness.

When the cocoon holds neither the caterpillar nor the butterfly, when our lives seem devoid of meaning, when the darkest is before dawn, hope is the ultimate antidote to despair. That is why, this time of the year, we light candles, string lights on our trees, and start our gardening season by planting paperwhites and amaryllis, demonstrating our trust that Spring is just around the corner.