December 20, 2024

The darkness of these mid-winter days is a reminder of the cycle of nature that echoes in our daily existence. Although I will acknowledge that it is more pronounced in the gray rainy Pacific Northwest, the shortened days of winter seem to offer so little of life and vitality. The quiet gray of nature on this winter day offers little hope for the green shoots of life that I know will eventually emerge as the light returns. The wise words of Mahatma Gandhi inspire hope and remind me of what I cannot see:

In the midst of darkness, light persists.

It is a difficult thing for humans to know, or even hope for, what we cannot see. We like evidence and assurance. It can be hard to hold the tension – waiting for light to emerge, knowing that it will despite little visual evidence. The resonance of this tension is a part of our internal worlds as well. Living this human life means that each of us will experience difficult times when the light is so hard to find or even imagine and hope seems far away.

These are the times when I find comfort in the steady cycle of the natural world reminding me that life is present, deep in the soil, waiting for its time to appear. We know that as we greet the darkness of the winter solstice, the light, albeit nearly imperceptibly, is returning. Despite the brown and gray of our winter days, we hold open the space of hope in the assurance that evidence of life will return.

No winter lasts forever; no spring skips its turn.
~ Hal Borland

At RPC we witness this cycle of darkness and light every day in survivors’ journey to healing.  Survivors whose lives have been marked by fear and uncertainty may not remember a time of ease or safety. Holding hope for something they do not know or remember is an ultimate act of faith and courage. It is with deep understanding and care that we hold open the space for the light to emerge, bit by bit along the path to healing for survivors, bringing life that’s been waiting to emerge.

We are so very grateful for all who, along with us, believe in the promise of spring – that the light can indeed emerge from the darkness. Sending wishes for a peaceful winter solstice and reminders of the hope of life and growth waiting to emerge.

~ Janice Palm, LMHC, Executive Director