Hello! This time of year can easily feel gloomy and isolating, especially in the Mountain West where it gets dark early and challengingly cold.
I have discovered how to shake off those feelings, especially in this pandemic, by giving myself emotionally satisfying options.
It wasn’t until I started doing this--believe me, the cold was a barrier--that I discovered how healing it is to bundle up and meet with friends for walks in the woods.
Do you have the good fortune to be in the company of friends who have fire tables? What a cheery bonus it is to meet outside and have wine with dinner while the snow falls.
This year, Hanukkah arrives early, and the Festival of Lights is a warm, sweet and bright holiday that lasts eight days. With the addition of a new candle each day, the light grows brighter and brighter.
As the days get shorter and the nights longer, I encourage everyone to find ways to make this time of year as bright as you desire.
Marlene
Missoula, Montana