It's the shortest day today - marked in NZ as Matariki - the Maori New Year - a time for celebration of the start of the new life cycle. Matariki (also known as Pleiades) is the constellation that appears in our skies at this time of year.
I've always particularly liked the idea of the shortest day being the symbol of a fresh start. As the days get longer new life will start to appear around us and this alone will cause our spirits to rise.
I look forward to the days getting longer for lots of reasons. Soon it will be light when I leave for work and still light when I get home. Not long after that it will still be light when I take the dog for a walk in the evening. Our social life will pick up again when the evenings are warm enough to light the barbecue and have friends drop in for a meal. Oh, okay, this is Wellington, that doesn't really happen till about December!
I've had fresh starts in lots of things this year - new house in January, new decade (my 40s) in March, new lifestyle (weight loss) also in March. So here is another fresh start in this great year I'm having.
Bring on the lambs and daffodils!
Afternoon update - the weather here is completely vile. The daffodils seem a very long way away!
6 comments:
What a beautiful, fresh post. Makes me think spring is almost here (until I look out the window!)
Your weight record in your sidebar is amazing. Looks great, but the results in there are just fabulous.
Have a great day :)
Melbourne is having some unseasonably good weather. Even today with it only getting to 14 degrees, the sun has been out and the rain has passed. Most unnormal!
Hey thanks - I wanted to know what Matariki was! Heard it being talked about on shorty st the other night!
Thankyou for reminding me that it is the shortest day. My dear Dad (who is no longer here) always kept me up to date on such things. I knew it was around now, but wasn't sure if it was the 20th or 21st.
I celebrate Yule (Winter Solstice) which is very similar. Yep, bit of a pagan. It's the rebirth of the Sun, the longest night of the year, the Winter Solstice, and a time for introspect and planning for the future. This also means it's time for Mulled Wine! Geez, I'll have to work out the points :-)
Great post! Roll on those daffodils.....
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