Day 4 - Sunlight and Shadows

Gentle morning breeze

The golden rays of sunshine

through the open door.

Early mornings,

my favourite time of the day.

I open all the French windows to let in the early birdsong

and wait for those first rays of sunhine

which fill my home with glorious sunlight.

Day 3 - Bokeh

The streaming sunshine

After the early morning rainstorm

Brought gifts of bokeh.

The night air was heavy and humid and my fan on the chest at the end of the bed

 was set on 'silent night'!

How wonderful to be woken up by claps of thunder and flashes of lighting

and then hear the rain bouncing off the pavements.

The air felt fresh and breathable again!

A later morning walk right after the rain

and these Larch tree branches looked so lovely in the sunshine.

Let's hope the cooler temperatures won't rise too quickly again.

We'll have to wait and see!

The Return of Light

Whatever you seek

Is already within you

Waiting to wake up.

***

The winter solstice, which was on December 21st,

marks the shortest day of the year and the official beginning of winter.

But from this time on, we shall be getting a little more daylight each day until the month of June.

In different countries all over the world,

there are different ways of celebrating the return of light.

Just one of them is from Persia which I find very lovely.

In keeping with ancient tradition, Persians celebrate Shab-e-Yalda

to honour the victory of Mithra, the Sun God,

 who symbolizes light, goodness and strength.

Shab-e Yalda is still celebrated by Iranians all over the world today.

Friends and families unite to feast and read poetry, especially the Sufi poet, Hafiz.

Fires are burnt all night to defeat the darkness.

With the return to light, after the winter solstice,

transformation occurs and goodness triumphs.

***

"Awake my dear.

Be kind to your sleeping heart.

Take it out into the vast fields of Light

and let it breathe."

Hafiz.

***

Links for you to follow if you wish to know more:

Shab-e Yalda

Poet Hafiz

Poet Rumi