As the sun glistened on the ice covered grass one could hear a muffled crunch beneath 150 sets of feet as Warwick’s Partners in Education (PIE) kindergarten through fourth grade students and teachers formed a circle near the Sanfordville Elementary school garden to honor the upcoming Winter Solstice on Sat., Dec. 21.
Parents and Beverly Braxton opened the celebration with a beautiful meditation about inner strength and self-love. Students recited a solstice poem and sang a sunshine song welcoming longer days of light ahead as each held a flameless candle.
The celebration closed with every child making a wish for the New Year, playing a beat on a Tibetan singing bowl as they did so. The sound of chimes and tingsha bells lingered gently in the background.
They had the choice to hang a handmade “sun” ornament (dried apples/oranges) on the garden wall or take it home to their own indoor/outdoor trees. As deep breaths of crisp air were drawn, it was a sweet reminder of how something so simple can be so meaningful.
