“It’s better to light one small candle, than to curse the darkness.”
It was almost a year ago to the day that I attended one of Rev. Andrea Ayvazian’s final Sunday services at Haydenville Congregational Church, where she spoke about being involved with a group in Leverett that provided sanctuary for a family from Central America in the early 1980s.
At the time, I never imagined that less than a year later, not only would the First Congregational Church of Amherst shelter another undocumented immigrant from Central America fleeing deportation, but Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents would be arresting our neighbors. The last year has been a nightmare for many of us, as we witnessed the Trump administration decimate so much that really has made America great.
We have become vulnerable to the machinations of an impulsive, ignorant, and deranged president supported by a spineless and immoral Republican-led Congress, who have brought the world to the brink of nuclear destruction. Indeed, as we approach the winter solstice, the darkness feels impenetrable.
Yet, there is good news. The holiday season provides us with opportunities to bring much-needed light to our world. My daughter and her partner announced at our Thanksgiving table this year that they wanted everyone to remember the continuing oppression of Native Americans with donations they had made to a variety of Native American organizations in honor of each of our dinner guests. This act added so much meaning to our celebration!
How can we modify our holiday traditions to make them a source of hopeful light in these dark times? This year, I have observed the first six days of Hanukkah by lighting each nightly candle on my menorah with a special intention. My family lit our first candle to honor the people who light up our lives. We remembered those who do righteous acts, as well as the joy we’ve received from family, friends, and neighbors, as well as the kindness of strangers.
Our second candle on the menorah burned with exuberance following the defeat of Roy Moore, while celebrating the efforts of those who worked tirelessly for Doug Jones. In the days that followed we lit candles to celebrate our community’s incredible mobilization efforts following the 2016 election. We shone a light on those who mobilized statewide for the Legislature’s passage of criminal justice reforms, those who collected signatures to put a $15 minimum wage and paid family leave on the ballot, and those who are activating to make Massachusetts the first state to have universal health care.
We added new names each day to honor individuals who work tirelessly to feed the hungry, care for refugees of famine and war, and make a shelter into a home for those without resources. One night we lit a candle for the mentors in our lives who have led by example.
As the candles multiplied, the menorah’s glow echoed in our hearts with the growing awareness that we are surrounded by the light of so many good people waging war against the darkness. They wage peace, speak truth to power and show up to do what’s necessary. The ancient Hanukkah story of Jewish struggle had been resurrected in my home in a universal form. Rather than celebrating the triumph of Jewish survival and the miracle in which God made it possible for a small amount of oil to light the eternal lamp in the temple, I realized that when people use their collective and individual power, miracles happen.
How might you reinvent some of your holiday traditions to let more light in?
I am not trying to minimize the dark realities that exist, but I do know that the endless vents I engage in with others about the state of this country and the world add to my despair, which ultimately is disempowering. What might be the impact of spending some time away from CNN and letting go of Facebook rants to merely reflect with friends on all the good that is happening locally and globally.
What have you done to pierce the darkness with your light? Did you collect clothing for Puerto Rican families displaced by Hurricane Maria? Were you one of millions at the Women’s March? Do you have a sign in your front yard welcoming your neighbors in three languages? Did you call your legislators to advocate for something you believe is important, or offer to buy a homeless person a cup of coffee? Did you bring a meal to an ill friend, or ask the checkout person at the supermarket how their day was going?
The impact of such simple acts is overwhelming. Good really can beget good.
A new year is fast approaching. It’s fine to resolve to get back to exercise, give up sugar, or stop spending your money on lattes, but I would encourage everyone to resolve to use your light to take back the night.
Sara Weinberger, of Easthampton, is a professor emerita of social work and writes a monthly column. She can be reached at opinion@gazettenet.com.