How clever that our culture’s use of lights and ingestion of large quantities of food come at the darkest and cold time of year. I marvel at how quickly the sun has moved south and lower in the sky, and how quickly it completes its time above our horizon. And then at its very lowest and very darkest, Dec. 21, about a month from now, our sun begins its slow swing back across the eastern sky toward the north and turns its climb upward. I also marvel at how often our lives move in a similar trajectory, down to a low ebb and then slowly an upward climb.  The name of that movement is “hope.”

As to Southport’s participation in this movement to illuminate the dark, the ‘Lights Up’ celebration is scheduled this year for Friday, Dec. 1 at the Southport General Store beginning at 4:30 p.m. Usually the school children participate and Santa arrives on his motorcycle to distribute some early presents. Be sure to be there to enjoy this neighborhood event. 

On Sunday, Dec. 3 at the Southport United Methodist Church we can gather for a soup supper at 5 p.m. followed by a Lessons and Carols service. The service will begin about 6 p.m. , but I advise you not to skip the soup and fresh breads. They are always delicious.

That upward climb in our lives I mention in the first paragraph is often hastened by song. Many times I wish I could resurrect my father who would play any piano he saw, quickly gathering songsters about him, calling out their favorite requests and joining their voices to his choices. We now have a baby grand piano at the Southport Memorial Library that begs for a player and a group of singers around it.  

The Y-Arts collection of children, under the direction of Emily Mirabile, and staring Southporters Emerson and Sarah Harris and Maeve and Ronan Cullina, brought joyous Broadway songs to an appreciate audience at the Lincoln Theater in Damariscotta last Monday. Their next performance, a Christmas show called “Three Wee Kings,” will be Dec. 16 with two performances:  1 and 5 p.m., both at the Congregational Church in Boothbay Harbor. Here is another opportunity to add joy and light to your life in this dark season.