A Light in the Darkness

On the first of December
as a child I watched afar
My neighbor scaled his tallest tree
and hung a lighted star

I asked my mom what was it for
above the tinseled evergreens
She gazed with me a bit, and said,
“Here's what I think it means”:

Chorus:
“It's a light in the darkness, 
a symbol of good cheer,
of hope, and salvation
at this darkest time of year
Of  peace, and warmth and freedom
in these days of longest night
and when things appear most dismal
There's a power in the light”

A week or not much later
with the family at hand
We were kindling the candles,
celebrating freedom's stand

And we placed it by the window
so that all in town could see
and when I asked my father why
he smiled and said to me

(Chorus)

Bridge: And all across the ages, people kindle lights and flame
Doing conscious acts of kindness, calling on a holy name
And all might have a kinder thought for others come that day
And gather close their loved ones, and recall those far away

Amid war, and disaster,
uncertainty and pain
and the fear of not knowing
when good times will come again

there's a comfort in the ritual
from centuries long gone
that when people pull together
they find strength to carry on