The exhilarating buzz of the holidays has died down as we approach the second week of January.

Psychologists have pegged the holidays as one of the most common times of the year in which suicides happen and depression dips deeper. This can be made worse by the temperamental weather we face here in upstate New York.

Psychologists have also said, however, that lack of human connection is what causes isolation, depression, and other mental illnesses. So, how does White Hawk fare at that time of the year?

We are a diverse group of individuals. While society struggles over what can appear on a Starbucks cup and relatives all over the country grit their teeth around their Christmas dinner, we at White Hawk gather and celebrate our diversity. Among our numbers we have atheists, agnostics, Jews, Christians, Quakers, and more.

In a time when politics and religion divides the country, we celebrate our diversity and welcome the knowledge that comes with sharing our long held traditions and cultures with each other. We gathered several times over the cold winter holidays, holding a white elephant gift exchange and potluck for the solstice, gathering around a fire to solidify our wishes for the New Year, and lighting a menorah to learn the story of the Jewish tradition.

These wonderful times of connection mingled with the trips many of us made to visit our own families and friends that don’t live next door to us.

As a Midwestern girl born and raised in conservative Nebraska, I had no knowledge of Hanukkah before moving to White Hawk and sharing time with my neighbors. It was beautiful to experience the rituals others participated in with openness and acceptance. It’s a wonder that we all bring to every experience at White Hawk and that I wish we could share with the entire world.

We here at White Hawk wish you peace, happiness, and love to you and yours as we wait for the return of the Spring.