It does not improve quickly, it does not even improve
perceptively straight away, but it is the turning point at which time the days
get longer, the dark gets less and everything feels just that little bit
better.
There are many traditional festivals this time of year
across most cultures in the world. Some
involve sacrifice, some involve birth, others ritual bathing but there is also
a theme of reunion and feasting and I shall raise a glass to that.
The word solstice is derived from the latin ‘sun stopping’
apparently (Wikipedia, where-else). Basically, the sun looks like it orbits
the earth and it does so on an elliptical path.
The tilt of the earth and this path either increases or decreases
depending what time of the year it is.
When it reaches full tilt the sun appears to stop and reverse, so
starting the process of either lengthening (Winter) or shortening (Summer) the
day.
However, what I liked best when I was reading about the
solstice is that (obviously really) is that what the northern hemisphere calls
the Summer Solstice, the southern hemisphere will call the Winter
Solstice. Well of course it is like
that, but until someone points it out I admit to not really thinking about
it. I think I like the terms Hibernal
solstice (Winter) and Aestival solstice (Summer) best, they sound a bit more
grand.
Any hoo
(I shall just whisper that according to the wonderful sunrise/sunset app I have it will be January 2nd before the morning gets one minute lighter. Even so, one minute is a minute to be treasured and is the start of many more.)
