Last week was a blur. After returning home from our family vacation, there was only a short five days to prepare for the weekend. At my preschool we hosted our Second Annual Holiday Craft Fair on Friday (more on that tomorrow). We have to clear out our big play space to make room for our Winter Garden Festival anyway so feel this is the best time to invite parents and friends to gather in a social setting.
I exhausted myself preparing for all the events which just made me appreciate all the more the peace and the quiet of our Advent Spiral last night.
In school last week, the children made their votive candles.
If you are interested in a little more information about why we do this festival, I wrote more about it here and there are more photos here.
Do you know the poem, Just Delicate Needles, by Rolf Jacobsen? It make me think of the children, just delicate little things they are. They come to this quiet and contemplative festival and need to summon all the courage in their small bodies to carry their candle through the spiral for the angel to light. Some do it quite bravely, others may need a little encouragement and there may be couple who just can't do it at all. It's a beautiful thing to watch how they face this challenge with complete sincerity. I get tears in my eyes every time.
Just Delicate Needles—
It's so delicate, the light.
And there's so little of it. The dark
is huge.
Just delicate needles, the light,
in an endless night.
And it has such a long way to go
through such desolate space.
So let's be gentle with it.
Cherish it.
So it will come again in the morning.
We hope.
(translated by Robert Hedin)
Peace and love.
