Last night, we lit the eighth Chanukah candle, marking the end of the Jewish holiday--on the first night of a new year. That's unusual enough--it's rare that Chanukah starts on Christmas and runs through New Year's Day. But in a way it was fitting. The bright flames, the colorful candles, all part of a holiday of light at a time--at least in our hemisphere--when darkness has the upper hand. Every winter, I take solace from the colors that light up the night. Neighbors' holiday lights, breaking up the nighttime shadows. I appreciated Chanukah's rare appearance in January. Perhaps, though I fear for much this year, the lights will lead us through.
--Deborah Kalb
Beautiful.
ReplyDelete