Winter carries a quiet honesty with it — a stillness that reveals what our hearts have been holding. In this season of shimmering lights and outward celebration, there is also a softer truth: not every moment feels bright. And yet, even in the muted tones of winter, light has a way of finding its place. Sometimes faint. Sometimes fragile. Always present.
Words of Light
“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”
— John 1:5 (NIV)
Reflection
The holiday season often arrives carrying many baskets at once — memory and longing, joy and ache, celebration and fatigue. You may find yourself smiling one moment and fighting back tears the next. You may want to participate in the rituals and rhythms of the season, yet feel a heaviness you cannot quite name.
These experiences are not failures; they are human responses to a complex world. The “holiday blues” described in your Light in Winter Guided Action Journey remind us that emotions in this season rarely come wrapped in neat boxes. They show up layered — the way memories surface unexpectedly, the way shorter days stir fatigue, the way old griefs whisper through the cold.
It is natural to miss what once was. It is natural to long for connection that feels steady and genuine. And it is natural to feel both gratitude and sorrow seated side by side at the same inner table. The presence of heaviness does not negate the presence of light. It simply means you are alive to the full spectrum of your own humanity.
As you move through this season, let every emotion — even the uncomfortable ones — be met with tenderness, not judgment. Let the light you seek become the light you gently offer yourself. And let every small moment of comfort remind you that even on the dimmest days, your inner flame has not gone out.
Pause and Consider
- What feelings come up for you during the holiday season? Allow yourself to write without censoring or judging.
- What holiday traditions or memories bring a mix of joy and sadness? How do they shape your experience of this time of year?
- What small moment of comfort or peace can you create for yourself today?
Affirmation
I welcome gentle light into the places that feel heavy, knowing that my emotions are valid and I am not alone.
Peace,
Rita
Rita Lynn Berry, EdS, LCMHC, is a licensed clinical mental health counselor and the founder of NewVision Counseling and Consulting Services, PLLC. She is also the creator of the Journey to Me™ program and Mend n Muse Media™, where she shares tools and reflections that support healing, resilience, and self-love.