I decided, while walking and observing this sycamore in the fading light, that the winter solstice makes a much better day to celebrate a new year. The winter solstice in the northern hemisphere marks the shortest day of the year (or the day with the least sunlight and the longest night). In the southern hemisphere it is the longest day and the shortest night. For walkers a solstice is much more of a marker of change than what seems like an arbitrary date set in honor of an emperor (Julian calendar) or pope (Gregorian calendar). Walkers, on the other hand, need to know how much daylight is left before they must stop and find shelter or before they can get up and start walking again.
So I think the pagan druids had it right. Not in the how or why they celebrated the solstice with their sacrifices petitioning gods to let the sun come back. But with a precision that amazes me, they observed the beautiful and profound shift that happens on earth. They knew nothing about rotation and orbiting and the tilting of our planet, and yet in ancient centuries they could tell me what I would not otherwise be able to tell my unobservant self: that tomorrow there will be more daylight time for me to walk.
Their observation also tells me that by the time the summer solstice comes, I will have plenty of daylight to be hiking on the tops of some of the highest mountains of Virginia. This seems like much more of a shift and new beginning to me. So in just a few more minutes—Happy new walking year! Happy winter solstice! The days and walks are getting longer!
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