The magic of Mid-Winter

Here we are, at that mid-winter tipping point, all of us wrapped in a blanket of stars.

I write about looking for magic, and finding it hidden away in the nooks and crannies of the every day. Or even, realising that it's so massive and all engulfing, we just don't always see it right away.

But at this time of year, I sense a spark of wonder, mystery and enchantment dancing through communities.

Beautiful pictures appear on the internet - sleeping trees standing against a blood-red winter sun, or a snow-white hare sprinting through a glittering, moonlit field of snow. Windows are dressed in lights, like fairy-beacons shining through the darkness. Friends are meeting for steaming hot-chocolates in cafes, surrounded by buoyant chatter. There are evenings full of cheese, bubbles and conversation in front of a hearth. Or people are giving themselves permission to take time alone and wander in their dreams.

Wishing you wintry magic, my friends.

Pearl