Cohousing-L Mailing List: Winter Solstice at Tierra Nueva

[PattyMara Gourley (pattymara]

After walking through the winter forest of Sharingwood with RobI thought
I would add a bit of California flavoring to the Winter Solstice stew.  

At dusk on the shortest day of the year I heard a knock at my front door.
 There on my porch were the glowings of 7 paper mache candle lanterns on
sticks, carried  by a gaggle of children from Tierra Nueva.  A warm rain
was falling; and they had the look of merriment that California kids wear
when they are playing outside in the rain.  They bellowed out  a gleeful
Happy Solstice and continued their journey through the community,
stopping at every door. 

A half hour later my family walked over to the common house for dinner. 
Just before dinner was served, while we were standing in line in the
dining room, the lights were extinguished.  A hush fell.  Had the power
gone out?  Nope.  From the living room emerged the tiny parade of
colorful lanterns snaking its way quietly around the set tables.  As they
moved about the room in silence,  we watched with awe.  A flashlight
clicked on, and Rebecca began to read a call and response Solstice praise
prayer...and we offered our praises for the living beings of the natural
world, from the tiny cellular critters so beautifully described by Rob,
to the dancing nebula of the cosmos and the long long night ahead before
our sun begins its return.  

And then dinner was served, as the rain pounded on the skylights.  We
lingered long after dinner, basking in the glow of the fireplace, the
lights of the tree and the fellowship of life in community.

Solstice and holiday blessings to all,
coheartedly,
Patty Mara, Tierra Nueva, Central CA Coast

 



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