The Light of Rebirth

December has always been a month of birth for me: fifty-one years ago, on December 11, I gave birth to my first child—my wonderful son. I try not to let the complications following his arrival (the doctor’s failure to deliver the afterbirth, massive hemorrhaging, a D and C, and loss of my breast milk) taint this miraculous event. My husband and I had transformed from being a couple into becoming a family—and I had so many dreams for that six-pound, eleven-ounce bundle of joy. When my daughter was born two years later in November, life felt complete to me.

Despite the detours, roadblocks, and potholes I have encountered in my life’s journey—experiencing a divorce, dealing with a family member’s long-term physical problem, and raising two teenagers as a single mother—I have always viewed December not only as an ending but also as a beginning. It is a month for reflection: a time for both looking back and for preparing for the year ahead. December, with its sparkling holiday lights, engaging music, and upbeat mood, gives birth to a new year—and all the promise it holds.

I want to bury the negatives of the past year on December 31, leaving room in my mind and heart for the possibilities of the new year. I want December 31 to be a time of rebirth—of new hopes and dreams. I pray that my children will enjoy a renewal of good health and happiness; I wish for myself a year in which I can spend time with my family and create new memories; and I hope that all people find lives of peace and well-being.

Although I do not celebrate Christmas, I still allow myself to feel the joy of the season. The trees may be bare and the temperatures may be frigid, but more people are smiling and acknowledging strangers in their seasonal greetings. On even the gloomiest of days, rays of sunshine seem to brighten the sky. This light reminds me that a new future awaits—a clean slate ready to be filled with good times and love. This light reminds me that every ending leads to a new beginning—a time of rebirth and rejuvenation.

Ronna L. Edelstein
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania