Light

Raise your hand if you didn't have to work yesterday. Yep, my days of paid January holidays in addition to New Year's Day are history. Well, two years in a row, that's not too bad.
Sunday's sermon was about light. Who can deny that it is - and it was - because according to Einstein light is the only constant on earth. Lot's to ponder so early in the morning.
My amaryllis bulb has produced three, at least, blooms a very light green pod with a orangy cast. Let's think about that for a moment.
Here's a bulb, like the pit of an avocado, buried up to its neck in soil. There are four very long green leaves, sharp as swords balanced evenly on two sides of the pot. It's January. Christmas has passed as well as the winter solstice. The weather has gotten very very cold, but the days have begun to get longer and longer. It's noticeable.
Suddenly - a new leaf appears. Then a shoot. As the shoot grows taller and stronger, the last leaf gives up its green to the new growth, turns yellow and dies. In the meantime, every day, no every four hours you can see the shoot has grown -- stronger, longer and moving towards the light.
If you have never gardened or grown a house plant, this is the stuff of dreams. To be able to watch something grow at such a rapid pace. It's a miracle. And it's all because of the light.
Without the light, there would be no green vegetation and without that miracle of growth, there would be no food or flowers or life. There would be no us. We all know people who suffer during the winter months because of the lack of light. I have never had that problem. I like low light, dusk, dawn, civil twilight, candlelight and the peace of a silent night. However, have you even felt the sun on your face, the warmth, filling you with strength? It's a good thing that we don't turn green with light as opposed to tan... that would be rather humorous.
As far as the people who get a little depressed in the winter because of the lack of light, perhaps we should just move their chairs a little closer to the window, and watch them begin to bloom.
(I'm not making light of the situation. I know someone who has a really tough time in the winter without the light.) But, it's coming back. Have faith and hope... spring can't be too far away.