FRIDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2024
Arrival of the solstice: Tonight is a special night, NPR reports:
Saturday is the winter solstice. Make the most of the shortest day of the year
Saturday is the winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere. It's not only the shortest day of the year, but the official arrival of astronomical winter.
"At 4:20 a.m. EST, the solstice marks the beginning of winter in the Northern Hemisphere and summer in the Southern Hemisphere," NASA says on its website.
That means from now until the end of June, each day will get a little bit longer...
The report continues from there. But what exactly makes this the solstice? The leading authority explains:
Winter solstice
The winter solstice, also called the hibernal solstice, occurs when either of Earth's poles reaches its maximum tilt away from the Sun. This happens twice yearly, once in each hemisphere (Northern and Southern). For that hemisphere, the winter solstice is the day with the shortest period of daylight and longest night of the year, and when the Sun is at its lowest daily maximum elevation in the sky.
And so on from there.
"The winter solstice is the day with the longest night of the year." Was this the night Frost had in mind in one of his most famous poems?
My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.
In fairness, this may not be the darkest evening, but it's said to be the longest. We've been thinking about that line a lot in these recent short, gloomy days.
Metaphorically, we've been experiencing a great deal of darkness within our flailing nation's political affairs. The madness is visible all around us. But by law, it can't be discussed.
By way of contrast:
Here comes the sun, the Beatles once claimed. Any version of that song is good for the soul, but we especially like this rendition, by George and that other Paul.
Fellow citizens, Here comes the sun! At least as a matter of theory, that starts to happen, if slowly, tomorrow.
In the alternate realm of lived events, it may be a long, unstable four years, a lengthy period driven along by the whims of a largely under-discussed collection of broken toys.
Frost's horse was between the woods and a lake. For us, it's a rock and a hard place!
Somerby says the darkness of the winter solstice, the longest night of the year, serves as a powerful metaphor for the current political situation in the United States, a time that feels heavy, divisive, and uncertain. He seems to think just as the solstice represents a moment when darkness is at its peak, it also marks a turning point. The Earth, in its timeless rhythm, begins its slow but steady tilt back toward the light, offering the promise of longer days and renewed vitality.
ReplyDeleteIn the same way, the challenges of the political landscape—whether they manifest as polarization, mistrust, or a sense of stagnation, need not be permanent. The solstice teaches us that even in the deepest darkness, change is inevitable. It reminds us that collective effort, empathy, and resilience can gradually guide us toward brighter days. Like the dawn following the solstice, hope can rise when individuals and communities come together with shared purpose and vision, embracing the light of understanding, justice, and progress.
Somerby's metaphor urges us to hold on to patience and optimism, recognizing that while the path forward may be slow and challenging, it is not without direction. Just as the seasons change, so too can the tides of history, driven by the enduring human spirit and the possibility of renewal.
Somerby is an asshole.
Once again Somerby promotes and celebrates the work of white men. We all know why.
DeleteHe's a sexist pig.
DeleteI heard he flies his Nazi flag upside down.
DeleteLittle darlins’, it’s alright…except for MR.TRUMP’S WAR!!!
DeleteI was told he wears a Hitler mustache as a soul patch, so it must be true!
DeleteAgain, it was Somerby who kept worrying about “Trump’s war.”
DeleteAnonymouse 7:44pm, duh.
DeleteSomerby is a testament to self hate and remarkable weakness of the mankind.
ReplyDeleteTakes one to know one.
Delete