The Jewish calendar was so considerate this year to place Chanukah at the start of the month to maximize on our celebrations. With four children who each want to light their own Chanukiahs times eight nights it has been a pyromaniacs dream. Yes, that is nearly two hundred little fires in a week. And it is so rejuvenating to stare at fire. Fire feel so fresh and new and powerful. And yet, though it is a symbol of hope and regeneration it is one of the most destructive natural forces on our planet. And it is true that every beginning also has an end that precedes it.
Bringing it all down to the literal we have been experiencing our own regeneration at our house. The old communal garden has been slowly destroyed over the last couple of months to make way for something newer and cleaner and sleeker. I felt sad about all the destruction - plants and trees ripped out of the ground, chunks of wood brick and mud hauled out, and fences rearranged. And now that part of the garden is complete we can see what is to be and I feel just like a child who refuses to discard a favored dress that is too small. Which seems a strong reaction given we had only been in this house a month before they begin the makeover. Nonetheless, Looking at the new landscaping I can't help but miss the comforting asymmetry of our old garden, the favoring of a communal space over individual courtyards, the wildness of the unkempt bushes. But thats how it is with regenerations and New Years.
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| Happy Chanukah - Canberra style! |
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| The last of the flame |
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| A glimpse at our old yard |
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| The new courtyard |
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| This bus stop is standing tall and proud as it faces its end |
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