Ode to the Winter Solstice...by Val

Ode to the Winter Solstice

&

Season’s Greetings

by

Val the Athiest

The month of December

Is a calendaric monstrosity.

It is a time when chronology

Recapitulates ontological religiosity.

On the winter Solstice,

The Pagans have their say

And, let us be clear…

It is a dark, dark day!

In this dark month

The Eight Days of Chanukah

Are celebrated by the Jews.

Their festival of lights

Claims the victory of the Maccabees

Over those ancient Syrian fools.

On march the Christians

Claiming December 25^th as The Most Holy Day.

The Messiah has emerged from the

Virgin’s womb, they shout.

Repent and convert all you

Pagan and Jewish louts!

Luckily the New Year will soon be welcomed in.

A fresh new calendar, a fresh new vision…

Rise up secular humanists and religious moderates,

Rise up spiritual atheists and agnostics.

Let us come together

And save ourselves from dogmatic religious division!

Evolution, evolution stay the course.

Let ontogeny and phylogeny

Guide ontology.

Let a culture of awakening guide

Human consciousness into

A grand, loving and kind tour de force.

Merry Christmas!

Just a quick note to wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

We are spending the holiday break at the cottage; lucky us. It's the first time in three years we've been able to get up there and I am really looking forward to it. Val went up a few days ago with our friend Yvonne. The cottage had been empty since my one overnight in late October. It was cold to the bone when Val and Yvonne arrived on Thursday, and it took a full 24 hours to warm up. The water is running in the taps and the kitchen drains are working as they should. I'm bringing fresh food. What more do we need? Oh yes. There's wine and martini fixings, as well as Scotch. There, now what more do we need?

The outside temps have been like Vancouver recently, although Boxing Day is supposed to bring us proper Manitoba weather again: minus 20 with bright sunshine. Bring it on, say I. These slushy mushy days of drizzle and grey are no way to spend the winter months; at least not in Winnipeg!

Colin is still waiting for a spot in a long-term home. Mum is settling in to her new way of life. Charles, Lisa and Max and Sam are spending a good chunk of time over Christmas with Mum at Willow Way; Katy and her partner, Guy, will spend Christmas Day with Dad and then overnight at Willow Way.

I am tired and grateful to have finally arrived at this evening. The New Year will bring what it will. For the moment, all is well with us. May you be blessed with peace and contentment, wherever you are and however you mark this season.

Love,
Amanda