'Tis the Season

I enjoyed reading all the FB posts yesterday and today about what people are thankful for, and of course, I have my list as well – but it got me musing about the whole idea of having a single day out of the year to express that thankfulness. Thinking about what I am thankful for should be a daily practice rather than an annual one. And come to think of it, the whole holiday season is supposed to be one of being “jolly” and “merry” and “happy…”

I get that in early days, with the shortened winter days, and the cold and bad weather in much of the northern hemisphere, there is a need to try to keep spirits up. Thus, the tradition of lights on evergreen trees. I wrote a short poem years ago, that turned into an intro verse that my sister and I recorded along with Greensleeves (a.k.a. What Child is This) on a winter-themed CD we did with another harp duo. Here are the words for this single verse:

Even in the bleakest winter’s numb

The evergreen’s deep color of survival

Renews our faith that spring will surely come

And gives us strength to wait for her arrival…

I’d like to offer a gift of a download of this tune. The link will put you on my mailing list, which would mean you won't have to miss any of these blogs. You'll also be able to choose what kinds of emails you'll get from me. Here is a link to the download:

https://tinyurl.com/TheEvergreenGreensleeves

The song is not on Spotify or any other online service, but it is also on the CD “On a Snowy Eve” which can be purchased in the old-fashioned manner as a CD from my website. Here is a link to my website for the CD!

https://verlene.com/snowyeve.html

So yes, there is a need to look forward when we are going through the darkest moments whether it’s winter’s shortened days, or difficult times with health, relationships, finances, or anything else that makes us numb. How else do we cope?

I always write up a list of accomplishments and goals at the end of December as my way of both looking back and looking forward. I start by reading last year’s goals. I notice that I don’t always reach all of the goals I listed, but I have instead had several accomplishments that were not on the list.  

It’s a way to annually take into account what is working and what isn’t, what is important and what isn’t. So, in a way I hibernate into this place of looking deep within so that I can start anew – not making promises but setting goals that may or may not be as important in a few months. But it is a way to move forward. I intend to add “think of something to be thankful of each day of the year.” And that’s a goal I hope to add as an accomplishment next year…

Another song I wrote that you can hear on Spotify (or why not also consider buying the CD?) is called Persephone’s Art. The story of Persephone is from Greek Mythology. Here's a brief synopsis: 

Persephone goes into the underworld and eats 6 pomegranate seeds. She is then constrained to the underworld. Her mother Demeter goes looking for her and finding her trapped in the underworld, makes a deal with the gods to allow her to come back to live with her for 6 months of each year, one month for each pomegranate seed she ate.  So Persephone lives an annual cycle of fall and winter in the underworld, and spring and summer with Demeter tending to the garden. 

Some people think of this story as a negative, a compromise, or a "deal with the devil." I see it as positive. Nature is cyclic, we are cyclic. 

Here is a link to the song on Spotify:

https://tinyurl.com/spotifyPersephone

And here are the lyrics:

When Demeter and Persephone part
It isn't the end, it's only the start
Walk the perimeter then descend to the heart
Then return again, that's Persephone's art

Down, down, deep into the darkness
Mother weeps her crystalline tears
Daughter keeps her pomegranate promise
Now go to sleep and settle your fears

When Demeter and Persephone part
It isn't the end, it's only the start
Walk the perimeter then descend to the heart
Then return again, that's Persephone's art

Down, down, deep into the dark soil
Plant the seed in the warm womb of earth
You can reap the harvest of your hard toil
Such is the creed of death and rebirth

When Demeter and Persephone part
It isn't the end, it's only the start
Walk the perimeter then return to the start
Then return again, that's Persephone's art

Look, your daughter is dancing with her demons
Look, your mother has let her garden die
Look, the Lady is spinning with the seasons
Look inside if you wanna know why

When Demeter and Persephone part
It isn't the end, it's only the start
Walk the perimeter then descend to the heart
Then return again, that's Persephone's art

 And if you’d like the CD, you can find it here:

https://verlene.com/persephone.html

So, what am I most thankful for at this moment? Here’s my list:

My good health

My family and friends

My musical endeavors:

• Playing harp at the Stanford Hospital Cancer Center again after 2 and a half years
• Playing for so many years and still going strong with Silverwood (that’s the duo with my sister that you will hear on the downloaded song)
• Playing with Gaelic Muses, which I joined in January
• Teaching private students and all who have attended my online workshops (I’m taking the month of December off from the online workshops and will be back in January – look for the announcement of the class offerings at the end of December!)

And so much more!