Embracing darkness in Frankfurt airport

It had been a pleasurable journey. I left Dublin in good spirits. I had plenty of time to catch my connecting flight in Frankfurt. I was relaxed and content. But, that changed. 

My heart was pounding in my chest as I sprinted through Frankfurt airport, desperately looking for gate B23. I had never missed a flight and I wasn’t going to start now. Or, so I thought. I ran and ran and eventually got to the gate. I could see a plane. As I screeched to a halt, I handed the attendant my boarding card, bending over to catch my breath.  

“Your flight left 15 minutes ago. All the rest of the flights to Prague are full. I’m not sure if you will get there today.” My heart sank.

I was about to learn a firm lesson in patience and surrender.

The winter is a time of darkness. It is cold and damp (if you live here in Ireland). I used to fight this. I wanted it to be sunny. I wanted to play basketball outside. I was fighting the darkness. I didn’t adjust to the change of seasons and it often made me sick.

But, now I embrace it. 

I embrace the cold. I use it to invigorate me. I embrace the darkness. I use it to slow me down, to do less and to hibernate. I embrace the night. I sleep more, I spend more time breathing. I don’t fight it anymore. I dance with it. 

That lesson came back to me as I stood looking at the empty runway in Frankfurt airport. I had to dance with the situation. I had to look at all the possibilities, accept them, sit down and wait for the situation to unfold. No amount of worry or stress would fly me to Prague. I had to embrace the darkness and surrender. 

Here are a few other ways we can embrace the darkness:

• Do less
• Slow down
• Sleep more
• ​Go outside
• Drink nourishing tea
• Breath deeply

Enjoy the darkness, revel in the Winter Solstice and have a merry Christmas.