A Season of Wonder; a Season of Grief

Not one but two

This is how the heart makes a duet of
wonder and grief. – Mark Nepo

As the earth tilts,
I am dipped in darkness
again,
heart heavy and
gripped by grief.

Too many losses—
Mine
Yours
Ours
Earth’s
(all ours)

Sun standing still
out of sight

Have you noticed?

In the night sky
some of the brightest stars are
not one but two,
paired
and dancing.

Have you noticed?

The heart broken open
invites wonder in, too.
Seasonal songs
strike a new chord.

It is the broken hallelujah
that sings the truest praise.

Karen Hering, Winter Solstice 2022
Image Credit: NASA/STScI (The binary stars at the center of this butterfly nebula orbit each other every 16 days and are so close that even the Hubble telescope cannot see them as two separate components.)

How differently wonder shines when it is paired with grief. How differently grief is carried when in the company of wonder.

In these December days, I wish for you great wonder over the ancient stardust shining in the night sky and in the depths of our own hearts.

In this extended season of many losses, I wish for you the gift of a grief that opens your heart — to sorrow, yes, but also to love, to relationship, to understanding.

And in the year to come, I wish for you the healing harmonies made possible when wonder and grief resound together.

Sending solstice greetings and wishes from my heart to yours,

Karen