Closing the Year: Carrying the Light Forward

The wheel has turned once more. Yule has passed, the longest night behind us, and already the days begin to lengthen. The shift is subtle, almost imperceptible, yet it carries with it a quiet promise: renewal is on its way.

This final week of December invites reflection. We have moved together through darkness, through preparation, through celebration, and now we arrive at a threshold. It is a moment to pause, to honor what has been, and to release what no longer serves.

This year has been difficult for so many: neighbors, friends, and family alike. Challenges have come in many forms, testing our strength and our patience. Yet even in the midst of hardship, I’ve found comfort in the ways we have faced these trials together. My own family has drawn closer, supporting one another with love and resilience, and I know many others have done the same. That truth, more than anything, is what I want to carry forward into the new year: that we are never alone in the dark, and that light is often found in the bonds we share.

Here are a few gentle ways to close the year with intention:

·        Release: Write down one burden, regret, or heaviness from the past year. Burn it safely in a candle flame or tear it into pieces, letting the act symbolize release.

·        Remember: Gather a few tokens, stones, sprigs of evergreen, or even words on slips of paper, that represent the joys and lessons you want to carry forward. Place them in a small bowl or jar to keep into the new year.

·        Renew: Light a candle and sit quietly, breathing in the stillness. With each inhale, imagine drawing in clarity and strength. With each exhale, imagine sending light into the year ahead.

·        Bless: Speak aloud a simple blessing for yourself, your loved ones, and the world. It doesn’t need to be elaborate, just words from the heart.

As the year closes, I find comfort in remembering that endings are never only endings. They are also beginnings. The light we’ve tended through these dark weeks is not meant to stay behind. It is meant to be carried forward, into January, into the turning seasons, into every small act of kindness and courage.

So let us step into the new year with open hands and steady hearts. May we release what is heavy, renew what is sacred, and carry the light with us, always.