Crystallized Knowing: A Winter Solstice Reflection

It’s as dark as it can be.

The days are at their shortest.

The news is even darker as

They feed us with fear

And greed and hate.

We look desperately for light,

Or distraction or addiction

To feed the fear.

But it is never satiated, no

It charges back like a grizzly bear

Wanting more.

Where is the light?

Oh bring us light, bring us light!

Let the sun return!

In the dark we feel alone,

Blind and invisible to the others

Huddling from the cold.

But then,

Walking up a snow covered winter hill

Into the setting sun

Ice crystals emerged, 
Magically it seemed,

From the cold air,

Caught the light of the sun

And floated, spun, danced, pirouetting 

In their slow enchanting descent.

And we were delighted, uplifted

Even enlightened (dare I say it).

A single photon,

a tiny packet of particles

Defined by our eyes’ ability to perceive it.

The smallest amount of light

Visible to a human

Appears.

And our DNA, our genetic codes,

The mastermind of our being

That infinitesimally small structure

Emits…. Wait for it….

You won’t believe it’s possible

But they say it’s true:

Our DNA emits photons!

What does this mean?

How do the photons get in there?

Do we create them?

Do we ingest them?

Are we beings of light?

Maybe we don’t know what we are.

Maybe we don’t know who we are.

Maybe we have believed the lies

That we are nothing, never enough

Powerless, alone, dark.

But the ice crystals remind me

Of who I am

Of my place here

Of my responsibility

To (and my mother would love this)

Let my light shine!