Winter Solstice and Hanukkah

Today is the Winter Solstice. It is dubbed many things: yule, the longest night, and midwinter. It is the shortest amount of daylight we will have all year here in the northern hemisphere.

It sort of heralds in the Christmas season for me. I've often thought if Santa Claus was to deliver packages in one night it would have to be the Winter Solstice.

On the flip side, in the southern hemisphere it is the summer solstice. The Ying and Yang of nature. Where there is an end there is a beginning.

Today there is a conjunction of religions. Today also marks the beginning of Hanukkah for those of Jewish faith and traditions. For the next eight nights, my friends will light a candle in their Festival of Lights.

So what is unique about this being both a pagan and Jewish holiday? It won't happen again until 2019. Have you given any thoughts to where you will be in eight years? I have.

In the year 2019, I will be happily writing away. I may even be a great-grandmother by then. All my grandchildren will be in school or graduated from college...it seems like yesterday it was my own children were just entering school. Several will be of driving age...now there is a scary thought. Quick get off the sidewalks! I will in all likelihood be an old, widow woman with cats. How's that for a cliche?

On the other hand I may just give my home to my children, buy an RV and travel to conferences, book signings, and assorted other things. That's the beauty of thinking of the future, it's something to look forward to. I may even be retired-retired instead of semi-retired. But it all depends on whether the Mayans didn't have it right about December 21, 2012.

The economy is shaky at best. I have read quite a few doomsayers and those that debunk the theories. What if the worst happened and the economy did collapse, martial law declared, and assorted other conspiracy theories come to past? I'm glad I'm an author. I can play what-ifs and carry it to the extremes and nobody really gets hurt. What's even better is that it sells. But what if it really happens?

With all this stuff coming down the pike, the best option IS a zombie apocalypse. I mean think about it...no shortages, zombies are slow and easily escaped if you keep your wits about you, and eventually they will decompose until they aren't a threat anymore...all you have to do is sit back and wait. You will be in survival mode and hopefully prepared for this eventuality. When the dust settles the population will be reduced, money won't mean a hill of beans, and all you have to watch out for is the other guy who survived. Simple, huh? Just thinking out loud here.

Happy Winter Solstice and Happy Hanukkah!

Keep writing and loving the Lord.