Tuesday Toggles and Tips Its Hat To You,

The autumnal equinox approaches. On September 22, 2012, the sun will cross the equator. When that happens, the hours of day and night will be equal. “Equinox” is Latin for “equal night,” an ancient term to describe when the night equals the day. Twice a year, in the spring and fall, there is an equinox of light and dark. The last was the spring equinox on March 20, 2012.

Since the summer solstice on June 20, 2012, the days have been shortening and the nights lengthening. On that day, the sun stopped at its farthest northernmost point in the skies of the Northern Hemisphere and headed back south. That traveling old sun will arrive at its southernmost point down there in the Southern Hemisphere in time for the winter solstice on December 21, 2012. That will be our shortest day and longest night. So, be prepared, it might be quite cold on that cheery winter night as we read Christmas tales under piles of covers in our warm beds, slipping off to sleep with visions of a jolly old elf piling presents under a twinkling tree.

Then, when the sun stops its southerly travels, it will look back longingly at us and head back up north again to warm and brighten our days. In between, our home star will cross the equator again on March 20, 2013, the next year’s spring equinox.

So it goes, year after year after year, and we certainly hope it does go just that way: autumn, winter, spring and summer, over and over and over again. The seasons teach us that there is a certainty in change. Change is normal and all around us. It gives us a constancy and comfort that I think prompted the poet so long ago to muse: “There is nothing new under the sun.” Thank you, Sun, and thank you for the seasons.  Our concern should not be the change the seasons teach us is our safe path, but rather when there is no change to lead us home. Change is our good friend and companion in the sky keeping an eye on us to check and see that we are changing too.

Stretch and smile and start something new,

Grandpa Jim