Celebration and Contrast

Pondering Solstices and Celebration

Today I found myself wondering how the people of Bali celebrate the winter solstice. The winter solstice has been on my mind since it is only about a week away. For some time now, I have made it a point to always be present for both the sunrise and sunset each day so I have been acutely aware of the shortening of days. The days starting to get longer again, for me, is a profoundly joyous event that is definitely worth celebrating. Being a sun addict freak, I tend to shrink with the shortening of days and expand as the days get longer. For me, the winter solstice marks the time when life begins expanding again and optimism is reborn.

Bali is practically smack dab right on the equator so the length of their days is pretty much the same all year long. For most of my life I have fantasized about living on the equator and not ever having to deal with the shortening of days. Of course, the sad reality is that I would also not be able to deal with the lengthening of days. In Bali the sun never sets at 9:30 in the evening in summer like it does at the latitudes I’ve frequented throughout my life. I suppose I could have done a Google search to find out how the people of Bali celebrate the winter/summer solstice in December but I really don’t care much. I would rather just imagine what it would be like to live under those…