My Christmas Onion

Sure enough, it happened again this year. I blinked and December whipped by and Christmas came and went and I woke up this morning and the calendar insists today starts January and a new year.

As Decembers go, it wasn't a bad one. I got most of my Christmas list checked off before the holiday arrived. (bonus!) Presents were mailed in plenty of time to arrive before the holiday, cookies were baked and parceled out to friends and family. I caught up with some of my friends at gatherings, made a promise to myself to get a holiday letter out before the end of January to loved ones who are far from here. (since something had to give, that was going to be it...)

And, starting at Thanksgiving, I had a Christmas Onion, reminding me each day that even in the dark and cold days, growth happens.

It is an ordinary enough onion, purchased to season soup that somehow didn't get made that week, and so it sat for just a bit. As it sat in its wire basket in the warmth atop my fridge, it got just enough light to awaken its onion soul. It poked its head out of the onion center, found the light to be good, and started to grow and grow.

By the time I noticed it, it was already a couple of inches tall. I went to toss it out, since the original onion is no good once a new one starts growing, but my hand stopped short of the basket. Since the Spirit of Good decided to send me an unexpected and unlooked for sign of life and growth and hope in the darkest days of the year, I thought it would seem a tad bit ungrateful to pitch it into the trash.

So, I just watched it for a couple of weeks, figuring the growth would falter. My onion friend didn't get the memo. It didn't know it wasn't supposed to flourish.

Finally, this last week, I went down to the basement and dug out an old pot and some dirt. Signs of hope can start in the darkness, but they need a little love and encouragement to continue to grow. I will watch it - who knows, maybe it'll grow enough to make me a new onion.

It's already grown enough to be a balm to my tired soul. Despite the turmoil of this past year, the cycle of life is unperturbed. It only seems like the dark days will last forever. Spring will come, with its tender greens and exuberant growth and push the darkness aside for another cycle and so all is well.

All is well.
Happy New Year!