NOTES FROM DAN
My favorite holiday takes place in February. You might think I’m talking about Valentine’s Day, with its celebrations of love, romance, and chocolate.
Indeed Valentine’s Day can be wonderful if you’re in the right frame of mind for it. On the other hand, love can sometimes be a struggle, and for those who are hurting or lonely, February 14 has little appeal. Nice though it can be, I’m not talking about Valentine’s Day. Nor am I referring in any way, shape or form to Presidents’ Day. Important as it is to remember our history, few of us do much of that on the third Monday in February. These days, what comes to mind first when I think of President’s Day are not the words of Washington or Lincoln, but commercials for auto dealerships. I’m not even thinking of thinking of Mardi Gras. No, the day I love is Groundhog Day. This is the true celebration of Midwinter, the last purely pagan holiday in our calendar. Known in some lands as Imbolc, others as Candelmas, Groundhog Day is purely elemental, a time for watching animals and reading weather signs, hoping for an early spring.
I’m not orthodox about this – I’ve always held that any local groundhog is a far better weather predictor than the celebrity critter on the other side of the state, and I recognize that as meteorological models go, this one leaves much to be desired. But there’s hope in a day like February 2. A tradition like that carries a recognition that as bleak as winter might seem, new life is at most six weeks away, and the signs are all around us. Whether our personal weather forecaster is a groundhog in western Pennsylvania, a badger in England, a bear in northern Europe, or simply the green shoots that have begun to come up in our daffodil patch, the evidence is clear – spring is on its way.
The same is true of our personal landscape. There are times when our lives can seem bleak indeed, and it is in these times that we most need the little reminders of renewal. A supportive word from a friend during a weak moment, an unasked for kindness, even the beauty of the winter sky or a piece of music, can remind us that even in the most difficult times, hope still lives. That is always worth celebrating.
DAN’S OFFICE HOURS
Monday: by appointment
Tuesday: 4-7
Wednesday: 4-7
Thursday: Minister’s writing day
Friday: Minister’s Sabbath