December — A Month For Reflection
With cold winds and heavy snow, winter is a season of profound yet under-appreciated beauty
It makes us slow down, huddle up, and appreciate the more simple aspects of everyday life. In no other season are a blanket and a warm cup of coffee as pleasant as during the cold months.
And if accompanied by a company of a good book or a loved one — it is close to perfection.
Yet, perfection doesn’t last forever and rarely does it come upon us by accident. As Jordan Peterson would remark, it is that which enters our world after days, months and even years of intense practice to live in accordance with virtue — aiming toward the highest good, and searching for the best version of who we can be.
Knowing yourself is a gift, but it is not something that comes without will and introspection.
To know who you are you have to intuit your strengths and weaknesses, observe both the brightest and the darkest corners of your soul, go through trial and error, and be willing to learn from your mistakes and the mistakes of others.
Fortunately, changing seasons help us to do that. They set natural milestones in our movement through time and space, making us stop at crucial points. That is why different cultures have chosen to mark them with various celebrations, such as Christmas, Easter, Natalis Invicti or Yule.
When nature sleeps under the heavy burden of snow, so does our potential to be better people. Better not just in a technical, but also in an inter- or intra-personal manner.
Being savvy and clever are good aims for one who wants to climb the ladder of competence in the social world, but being a good person is far more than mere cunningness or mechanical prowess.
Being good implies recognizing the other for who he or she is, seeing the beauty in even the most mundane events, acting kindly toward yourself and others, and last but not least: being happy that you are alive, that existence IS. I mean, what are the odds? You’re here! Thinking, feeling, experiencing, reflecting. How uncanny!
For this reason, no other month do I see as worthwhile to reflect on who we are, where we were and where we are going as December.
The importance of Christmas and other celebrations
For most of people living in the spirit of the Western tradition, one of the most meaningful celebrations of the year is Christmas. However, the Christians were not the only group who marked the end of December with meaning. As explained in an article by timeanddate.com
“In modern times Christians all over the world celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ on Christmas Day, which falls on December 25.
However, it’s believed that this date was chosen to offset pagan celebrations of Saturnalia and Natalis Invicti. Some believe that celebrating the birth of the “true light of the world” was set in synchronization with the December solstice because from that point onwards; the days began to have more daylight in the Northern Hemisphere.
Christmas is also referred to as Yule, which is derived from the Norse word jól, referring to the pre-Christian winter solstice festival.”
Following my investigation into the origin of Christmas further, I have stumbled upon another article, this time written on History.com. There, the author explains that in Scandinavia the Norse have been celebrating Yule on the 21st of December long before the celebration of Christmas. Similar celebrations were happening in Germany, Rome, and other places in the world.
Why December?
Somewhere between December 20 — 23, people living in the Northern Hemisphere go through the shortest day and the longest night, which is commonly referred to as The Winter Solstice. Likewise, December 24th is the rebirth of the sun (the time when days begin to get longer) and in some ways — the start of a New Year.
Maybe that is why different cultures all over the globe have marked this period with special significance, and no matter if you are a pagan, a Christian, or an atheist — maybe you should consider doing so too.
Knowing this, I found myself inquiring whether there is a better time to start enacting various plans for a brighter tomorrow than on the days when the sun starts to shine brighter and longer. Is it not best to start planning for the next year during the weeks that lead to this great event? Nature has set the stage. Will we write the script and enact the play?
In my understanding, New Year’s resolutions are often weak because they are not based on any significant meteorological events. Rather instead, they are based on a calendar that is so flawed that we have to add an extra day every four years just to make it work! For this reason, we should begin to sow the ground way before the 1st of January and not miss the mark, which is at least from 10 to 7 days before that.
You know what happens to pastries when they are left too long in the oven, just as to plants which have not been properly watered when they should have been. Why do you think that your plans, intentions and dreams are any different?
Letting go of the old, and inviting the new
In my estimates, if you are conscientious and wise, you don’t need cultural events to remind you that an ability to reflect on the past, observe the present, and plan for the future is a good thing. Nonetheless, it is still worthwhile to bring your attention to the comings and goings of life when the time is ripe. This will help you to invite something new, while simultaneously discarding that which no longer works for you.
Maybe it is a former self or a relationship which has become toxic or burdensome. Maybe it’s a habit, a trajectory toward the future, an aspect of personality, the location where you live or some type of an asset that you once held dear. Maybe it’s your relationship to yourself, the stories you recite, the narratives you create?
So much weight we carry daily that no longer aid us. Why? Isn’t it better to let the deadwood burn in order for the land to become more fertile? To leave the window open for what is yet to come? Multiple other dimensions can be taken into consideration here, but the aforementioned ones seem to be the most worthwhile and crucial to reflect on. Identifying our goals is only one part of reflection. Later we have to:
Evaluate our motives
Consider the broader personal and social impact
Consider the detailed strategies for goal attainment
Identify potential obstacles and their solutions
Monitor progress towards desired goals
This can be done by thinking, putting pen to paper, or your fingers on the keyboard. A combination of daydreaming, scrutinized thinking, writing, and editing seems to work best for me, but maybe your process is different.
In summary…
Nature is generous. The changing seasons always leave us with a chance to reflect on where we were, where we are, and where we ought to head. When nature sleeps under a thick blanket of snow, it sows the first seeds of what is to come next year. Being a part of nature, we humans have similar cycles. There are times we have to rest and digest, and there are times when we have to act.
In my mind, December is a month full of implicit and deep meaning. Being the last month of the Gregorian calendar it symbolizes the death and rebirth of the calendar year. Similarly, the Winter Solstice (just like many other holidays celebrated in an approximate time) mark the lengthening of days and returning of the Sun.
If we are at all conscious of what is taking place in nature, we can spend this time reflecting on the past, observing the present, and planning for the future. Knowing ourselves is the best present that we can gift ourselves while seeing and understanding others for who they are is nothing short of a true miracle. For this reason, let’s spend some time this month reflecting on who we are and how we would like to be to make the Christmas miracle come true.
Thank you for reading. I hope the article was interesting and informative.