Universe holds it's breath?

The sun has been rising at the same time (7:25) every morning for the past 2 weeks here in San Francisco. In New York, it flat-lined for about a week starting on New Year's Eve and has just turned around a few days ago.

This gradual slowing down and holding pattern for the sunrise time happens just after the Solstice in the Winter (at least at these latitudes). In the Summer, it's the sunset time that is suspended.

Like the holding of a breath that's just about to start leaking out again, we are poised at the last moment before the sun finally begins creeping towards the horizon a little earlier each day on Monday.

Hallelujah!