Spiraling in, spiraling out

Tonight was Small Son's Advent Garden at school. A spiral of evergreens, darkness, candles, the quiet strumming of a guitar. He named it at bedtime as his favorite thing of the day.   I've watched 14 years' worth of children making the same walk to the center of the spiral, lighting an apple-bound candle, and walking back out, pausing to place the apple along the spiral path.

Five years ago, I made that walk, belly huge and rounded, wondering when I'd meet this child who tonight lit his apple-candle. I'd had contractions off and on all that day. There were three more days before we finally laid eyes on eachother. He had his first spiraling journey to make, out of the darkness.   Into the light of this dark time of year.