Sympathetic Magic, Florida-Style

I love this time of year. I embrace the spirit of the season — and its roots. The earliest winter celebrations focused on the cycle of life and death; pagans would bring evergreens into their homes as a sort of sympathetic magic. They believed they were keeping the life essence of the trees safe from cold.

Winter solstice is at the root of all our winter holidays — the shortest day and longest night of the year. Saturnalia, Yule, Hanukah, Christmas, Diwali… they all center on the cycle of life and death, or of dark and light.

Here in Gulfport, things are still not back to normal. Many people still can’t go back home. Some of our restaurants remain closed with no certainty about when they reopen.

But there is hope. Most restaurants are open. The live tree in Clymer Park is lit; the holiday tree that is usually in front of the Casino is at the Tangerine Greenway.

Everyone’s trying to move from dark to light.

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As for me? Our home sustained minor damage but nothing like so many in our community. And so I can focus on the next book, this one about my experiences seeking out Florida’s endangered plants and animals. I’m looking for experts on the Stock Island tree snail, the Key Largo wood rat, the Florida bonneted bat, baneberry… there are so many endangered species throughout Florida.

Some of these creatures are not going to be around in five years. Some may persist. I hope that by shining a light on these plants and animals, people will get involved in helping protect them.

It’s not that different from sympathetic magic, if you think about it.

This post was part of my Florida Spectacular monthly newletter — take a read and subscribe.