Last night I donned warm clothes and set out into the darkness to adorn the front of my house with icicle lights.  Though this event is weeks later than usual for me, I gave myself permission to enjoy the magic of the lights coming to life – and enjoy I did.  The air was cool, crisp and still, and the sky was dark.  The only sounds were the leaves under my feet and the sound of neighborhood dogs from afar.

I noticed that with each strand I hung, my spirit felt a little lighter; my heart a ...