Wishing you Peace at Christmas time: Rest and Replenish
20 December 2023
Tomorrow night is the longest night of the year in the northern hemisphere and here in London, the heavy grey clouds and the weight of the damp atmosphere have added a dense layer to the fatigue we are all feeling right now.
So as the school term draws to an end, I thought I’d share reflections on one of my favourite picture books: “A Seed is Sleepy,” by Diana Hutts Aston and Sylvia Long, published by Chronicle Books, San Francisco, California.
‘A seed is sleepy.
It lies there, tucked inside its flower,
On its cone, or beneath the soil, Snug, Still.’
This is the time to reclaim our need to sleep, and to sleep long and deeply. This is the season for rest, and teachers, having given out so much energy every single day, need this. Nothing is more important than rest and recovery after a long term of thirteen or even fourteen weeks. This is the time to be still and snug in the dark and the quiet of the longest winter night.
The time that a seed may take to reveal itself is encoded in its DNA. Each seed needs its own allotted period of time. There is no rushing this process. Some seeds need ten years and some need even longer.
‘Not all seeds are eager to germinate.
Some have lain dormant, or slept undisturbed,
For more than a thousand years.’
We need sufficient time to replenish our own physical energy and this applies to each and every cell. There might be a feeling of numbness. We might feel a little spaced out because of sheer exhaustion - a bit like being jet-lagged. We might feel tearful and emotional, or jittery and struggle to unwind. This is especially true if we have been chronically overstretched and have strained our nervous system without having a chance to recover. The seed shows us what to do.
‘Part of the seed, the root,
Feels the tug of gravity and
Digs down deep.’
The work of the seed is nourishment. Resting and recharging is also about spending time on replenishment. Just like a seed, our nervous system seeks out minerals and hydration. Little by little, as recovery progresses we realise that we are ready to receive light and love from our friends and family. There is, however no rush in the life of the seed. It can take time to reach upwards.
‘It knows to seek the sunlight
To push itself up, up, up
Through the soil But it must
Wait awhile before that happens.’
Each seed takes its own time. The diversity of seeds is part of the great mystery of nature. The tallest trees grow from the tiniest seeds and the most exquisite fruit of all (coco de mer) sprouts from the largest pod. Every shape and size in between has been designed through millions of years of evolution, adaptation and plenty of rest.
Happy Christmas! Rest well dear friends!
Danna Hutts Aston and Sylvia Long (2007) A Seed is Sleepy, Published by Cronicle Books, San Francisco, CA
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