Capturing the Light
Deep in the darkness of a warm summer evening, air thick with the sweet fragrance of night jasmine, there they are. Glimmers of light, flickering on and off. I count them. One, two, three. Before long, a multitude of their friends join in and suddenly, the dark night takes on the appearance of twinkling stars dancing against a new moon.
Glass jar in hand, my ten-year old self chases after these magnificent light-producing creatures. Palm wide open, I sweep the air and much to my surprise, I catch one. As the light continues to pulse on and off in a metered rhythm, I drop it ever so carefully into the container and cover the jar with a vented aluminum lid. My capturing continues until my jar magically glows with brilliant illumination. In the blackest of night, my ten-year old heart is filled with wonder and awe.
Over the span of decades, I’ve long foregone chasing fireflies. But I still find myself chasing after sparkles of radiance. Particularly during long, dark days when the threads of hope are so easily lost in the winter doldrum. Reminiscent of catching fireflies on dark, summer nights, I reach out to grasp the glimmers of goodness that shine bright during the bleakest days of a gray winter sky.
Putting pen to paper, I capture these moments by placing them into a different kind of container: a soft, leather-bound notebook filled with pages of blank horizontal lines. I list everything for which I am thankful, a sacrifice of conscious praise for all the little treasures in life that light up the darkness: My family. My church. My favorite teacup. Writing by candlelight. The spicy scent of cinnamon. Homemade chicken noodle soup.
Thankfulness keeps me reaching upward to capture even more light. It’s not so much an act as it is an orientation. Acknowledgement of all things good is the best defense against the harsh assails of winter that threaten to throw us into the depths of despair. In the middle of the face-numbing chill, my heart warms with gratitude and easily settles into its gentle embrace.
My capturing continues. The flickering flames in the fireplace. Warm oatmeal for breakfast. A soft, cozy sweater. The intrigue of a good book. The quiet hush of winter snow. I find myself becoming giddy with anticipation of what precious jewel will become a-blaze next. Meeting a lifelong friend for lunch. Fur-lined boots. A bright red cardinal sitting on a snow-covered branch. Gifts and graces. All of them.
So here in the middle of the earth’s longest night, I lift my hands in celebration. Darkness is defeated when Light seeps into the unseen folds of my soul. As my list lengthens, so does the hours of daylight until, once again, I find myself chasing fireflies on a warm, fragrance-filled summer night.
