Happy holidays to you all, however you celebrate... or don’t. We are some of the lucky ones this year, with a roof over our heads, food on the table, and family and friends close to hand. We are blessed. But it has not always been this way. For those struggling this holiday season, a reminder, if it helps, that Christmas marks the time when the light starts to come back.
Thank you, Heather, indeed we are lucky. I was just thinking tonight of the homeless in weather like this. Thanks also to Buddy for yet another beautiful and symbolic photograph. Wishing you both joy!
... or when the sun is the highest and the weather the hottest! Depends completely where you are on this lovely planet. We're enjoying cool drinks sitting together in the shade here down under, finally, after a long, rainy and relatively cold winter!
On the subject of light, the marvelous Parker J. Palmer offers up this meditation. I can't say it any better myself:
"A CHRISTMAS MEDITATION: When I was a kid, the Christmas story gripped my imagination. All these years later, that grip is even stronger. Two themes speak powerfully to me: the reminder that we live among dark forces devoted to protecting wealth and power at all costs, and the implausible notion that something as small and defenseless as a newborn—every one of whom incarnates light and love—could illumine, warm, and transform a cold, dark world.
"The darkness is easy to see. Millions in the U.S. and around the world suffer at the hands of thugs who hold (or held) positions of power. To add insult to injury, many who support these thugs believe God has ordained them and the living hells they create, including misogyny, homophobia, antisemitism, white supremacy, and assorted hatreds. How anyone can celebrate Christmas AND endorse these evils is simply beyond me.
"In darkness this deep, it’s hard to find the kind of hope that isn’t wishful thinking, hope that’s muscular enough to do business in the real world. To get there, we must work thru the fear that keeps us from speaking and acting in service of love, truth, and justice—especially when that means saying 'No' to toxic beliefs held by people we live among, and 'Yes' to things they rail against.
"Here the Christmas story has a pointed word for us: 'Be not afraid.' Those words do not say, 'HAVE no fear.' Instead, they say we don’t need to BE fear when we show up in the world. Our inner landscapes offer many places to stand—alongside fear, there are places with names like compassion, trust, faith, and a devotion to truth. By making a conscious choice to stand in one of those places when we speak and act, it’s possible to BE something better than our fear. We can be light, illumining, warming, transforming light.
"For me, the Christmas story is a reminder of a simple fact that transcends creeds: all of us have a chance to live as lights in the darkness, right here, right now. Standing alone, my little light makes little difference to anyone but me. Multiply it by the millions who want to take back the night, and we can write a new story for our time: it’s been done before, and it can be done again...
"In that spirit, I wish everyone the blessings of light, and a resolve to BE the light!"
A blessed Christmas and holiday to you all, and may we all have health and PEACE in the New Year!
Happy Chrimbo as our dear friends across the pond say. Dr. Richardson, you are a shining beacon of intelligence and “the way” through the quagmire for all of us… To you, and your dear Buddy, I wish you a most peaceful and restful few days and the welcome of being on the “upside” as I like to call it. Winter May be here but Spring. Is. Coming. Let your light shine, and leave it on, as my favorite hippie rocker PigPen put it 50 years ago :-)
I know that Christmas and Hanukkah get all the media inches but please go with Science and the Solstice. We live on a magnificent planet with a variety of life that amazes and awes. Our love and kindness goes to all life that we share Earth with. We give thanks for you
All the best to you & yours. Thank you for shining light into darkness.
Merry Christmas, Heather and Buddy. Thank you for all you have done to help keep some sanity in our lives. You are one of the best gifts ever!
Above all else, the holiday reminds us to love one another. Thank you for the loving kindness you give to us all, Heather.
The light starts to come back…
Yup. Our nation is getting its light back.
Thank you Professor! Light and peace to you and your beloveds. ♥️
Namaste. We all share the light to come. Renewal.
Thank you, Heather, indeed we are lucky. I was just thinking tonight of the homeless in weather like this. Thanks also to Buddy for yet another beautiful and symbolic photograph. Wishing you both joy!
Thank you for your kinds thoughts. It helps more than you know. Christmas is never easy, but I know I will be all right.🐼❤️
... or when the sun is the highest and the weather the hottest! Depends completely where you are on this lovely planet. We're enjoying cool drinks sitting together in the shade here down under, finally, after a long, rainy and relatively cold winter!
Have a great Holiday Season everybody everywhere!
Thank you, Heather. Remember also that these shorter days are special, in that we are granted seeing both sunrise and sunset with ease.
Wishing you and all this community you've created a New Year's filled with good health, good adventures, and peace.
Warmest Holiday and New Year wishes to you, Heather, and to everyone else on this thread. Peace to all.
I send my love and gratitude to all of you. May there be peace on earth some day
💙💛
Even the poorest of us are wealthier than 90% of the worlds population. We are blessed.
On the subject of light, the marvelous Parker J. Palmer offers up this meditation. I can't say it any better myself:
"A CHRISTMAS MEDITATION: When I was a kid, the Christmas story gripped my imagination. All these years later, that grip is even stronger. Two themes speak powerfully to me: the reminder that we live among dark forces devoted to protecting wealth and power at all costs, and the implausible notion that something as small and defenseless as a newborn—every one of whom incarnates light and love—could illumine, warm, and transform a cold, dark world.
"The darkness is easy to see. Millions in the U.S. and around the world suffer at the hands of thugs who hold (or held) positions of power. To add insult to injury, many who support these thugs believe God has ordained them and the living hells they create, including misogyny, homophobia, antisemitism, white supremacy, and assorted hatreds. How anyone can celebrate Christmas AND endorse these evils is simply beyond me.
"In darkness this deep, it’s hard to find the kind of hope that isn’t wishful thinking, hope that’s muscular enough to do business in the real world. To get there, we must work thru the fear that keeps us from speaking and acting in service of love, truth, and justice—especially when that means saying 'No' to toxic beliefs held by people we live among, and 'Yes' to things they rail against.
"Here the Christmas story has a pointed word for us: 'Be not afraid.' Those words do not say, 'HAVE no fear.' Instead, they say we don’t need to BE fear when we show up in the world. Our inner landscapes offer many places to stand—alongside fear, there are places with names like compassion, trust, faith, and a devotion to truth. By making a conscious choice to stand in one of those places when we speak and act, it’s possible to BE something better than our fear. We can be light, illumining, warming, transforming light.
"For me, the Christmas story is a reminder of a simple fact that transcends creeds: all of us have a chance to live as lights in the darkness, right here, right now. Standing alone, my little light makes little difference to anyone but me. Multiply it by the millions who want to take back the night, and we can write a new story for our time: it’s been done before, and it can be done again...
"In that spirit, I wish everyone the blessings of light, and a resolve to BE the light!"
A blessed Christmas and holiday to you all, and may we all have health and PEACE in the New Year!
Happy Chrimbo as our dear friends across the pond say. Dr. Richardson, you are a shining beacon of intelligence and “the way” through the quagmire for all of us… To you, and your dear Buddy, I wish you a most peaceful and restful few days and the welcome of being on the “upside” as I like to call it. Winter May be here but Spring. Is. Coming. Let your light shine, and leave it on, as my favorite hippie rocker PigPen put it 50 years ago :-)
I know that Christmas and Hanukkah get all the media inches but please go with Science and the Solstice. We live on a magnificent planet with a variety of life that amazes and awes. Our love and kindness goes to all life that we share Earth with. We give thanks for you
Merry Christmas to all!