Waiting

It's winter now, full-on, with days that begin at 7:30 and end at 4:30; by 5 the sky is pitch black. There's lots of talk at church about Advent, that this is the season in which we simply are expected to wait quietly for the light and warmth to reappear; no sense or even possibility of hurrying it along.

In thinking a bit more about Advent, I find that the metaphor that appeals even more to me than the one of growing light is one of pregnancy--waiting for someone (a very little, weak Someone) to arrive. I should understand this deeply, given that dear flinty Anna was born so late in December--on the 21st, no less! But it's taken me a while to reconcile the idea of frozen misery (which is STILL how I view winter) with the lovely experience of gestation. Gotta keep working on that one, I guess.

(illo from blogs.sfweekly.com/ shookdown/engman_winter_lg)