Back home, after dinner and putting Azzurra to bed, Belinda locked herself away with her grimoire. Elia, seeing the passion burning in her red eyes, made her a warm herbal tea and left her to work.
Belinda reopened the grimoire; the smell of coffee from the aged pages mingled with the scent of jasmine drifting in through the open window. She looked at the first four festivals: all spoke of cycles, of accepting death to celebrate life. Much like her own recent peace regarding her mother's grave.
Now, it was time to decipher the remaining four festivals inscribed on the lighthouse wall—those that celebrated summer and the fullness of Sicilian life.
Belinda continued copying, allowing the ancient wisdom to flow through her pen:
Festival (Italian Name)DateSignificanceBeltane (or Beltaine)May 1st.The beginning of the light half of the year, the opposite of Samhain. It is the festival of the Sacred Fire and unrestrained fertility. The God and the Goddess unite (symbolically) in love to ensure abundant harvests. A celebration of union, passion, life, and creative sexuality. The world is now fertile and flourishing.Litha (Summer Solstice)Around June 21st.The longest day of the year. It is the peak of the Sun God's power, which has reached its maximum strength. From this day, however, the Sun begins its slow decline towards winter. It celebrates fullness and joy, but also meditates on the impending sacrifice. It is the triumph of light.Lughnasadh (or Lunasa)August 1st.The first harvest festival. It is a time of thanksgiving for the ripened grain and fruits. It celebrates the sacrifice of the grain deity (who is "killed" to provide food) and honors the labor of the earth. A festival of generosity and the sharing of the first bread.Mabon (Autumn Equinox)Around September 21st.The second point of balance (light and darkness are equal), but this time the decline is definitive. It celebrates the second and final harvest (grapes, apples) and is a time to reap the rewards of one's labor, both spiritual and material. It is the time for gratitude and final accounting before the earth prepares for the winter rest of Samhain.
Belinda closed the grimoire. Before her was not just a calendar, but a genuine philosophy of life that resonated perfectly with her Sicilian temperament.
The harvest festivals (Lughnasadh and Mabon) reminded her of Grandmother Linda's generosity and her obsession with the garden. The solar strength of Litha recalled her own "sunny, yet quick-tempered" nature, always seeking maximum expression. Beltane was passion, her union with Elia, the fertility that had brought them Azzurra.
The circle was closing. The search for a physical lighthouse had led her to the discovery of her family's Spiritual Lighthouse: a wisdom that had used the cycles of Sicily—the scorching Sun, the fertility of the earth, the endless sea—to teach dignity (Uncle Carmelo) and resilience (her mother Caterina).
"The magic is nature," Belinda reflected. "It is not a secret spell, but living in harmony with the forces that created us."
Elia entered the room, sitting beside her. "Are you done copying the festivals? And what does 'Lughnasadh' mean?"
Belinda smiled, a tired smile filled with renewed light. "It means that our family was not just looking for a place to live, but was seeking the way to live in harmony with this place. Lughnasadh is the harvest. And we, Elia, have harvested our truth. This Wheel of the Year tells us that even when darkness comes (Samhain), the light will return (Yule). And that is why, despite everything, there can be nothing grim or macabre here. Because Sicily is the triumph of light."
She took Elia's hand and placed it on the grimoire. "This is my family's spiritual testament. And our Lighthouse, my love, is Azzurra. Our light that will never fade."
The mystery of the box and the lighthouse was solved. It had not led to a treasure of gold, but to a treasure of awareness. Now, Belinda was ready to face anything, strengthened by her dual heritage: volcanic fire and millennial wisdom.