But Earth’s annual light cycle can profoundly affect all our lives, even in cultures remade by electric lights. The poet Annie Finch is the author of “Winter Solstice Chant” (“the edge of winter sky/leaning over us in icy stars.”). Ms. Finch also pointed out that the winter solstice, traditionally a time of introspection, can be a moment of warmth for communities small and large. I was reminded, too, of my mother, who died just before the winter solstice of 2006. But she loved the winter solstice because she knew it marked the light’s rebirth.

Source: New York Times December 16, 2017 19:30 UTC