Raspberry Lucia

There are two ways of spreading light: To be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.

-Edith Wharton

The day of Saint Lucia in Scandinavia is an essential part of Christmas in Scandinavia.
Each year on December 13, Saint Lucia is celebrated widely with candlelight and traditional candle-lit processions.

Lucia - the bearer of light, is an ancient mythical figure with an abiding role as a bearer of light in the dark Swedish winters.

The many Lucia songs all have the same theme:

The night treads heavily
around yards and dwellings
In places unreached by sun,
the shadows brood
Into our dark house she comes,
bearing lighted candles,
Saint Lucia, Saint Lucia.


Raspberry has settled down from her traumatic visit to the vet for a UTI and everything seems in perfect working order. Regular trips to her cat box, successful pill popping and increased water intake. Stress, infection, who knows? We have had company. Company that could have brought scents reminding Raspberry of sad times last year when we visited the house of our guest as her partner, our dear friend was dying. We brought back scents and sadness that perhaps she could sense. The sadness was heavy here last year and most likely contributed to the 5 month cat feud. Who knows, as the vet said, cats are wonderfully mysterious little creatures, sensitive and vulnerable.

The light of this day is diminished for our Swedes. Twenty one years ago, our dear S , their family member and my beloved friend was shockingly and senselessly murdered. We have all grown closer and cherish and celebrate our wonderful times together. Our intergenerational family bond grows stronger with the birth of Little M who visited us last spring. On Saturday, my nephew, G will fly to Goteborg to spend his Christmas holidays with them, as I once did in 1979, when little M's mother was born. It's the season of love and miracles indeed.