Winter Solstice is here! We traditionally greet this shortest day with joy and hope for the future, as we speak of the light returning with the lengthening days. We send words in paper cards, soon forgotten and discarded, wishing peace and love for the year ahead.
But it feels like we are perpetually at war. With each other in our communities, divided by the fears placed in our minds by the media we consume. With other humans all over the globe, as we close our borders and our hearts to those in dire need, and clash endlessly and violently with cultures other than ours. With the countless billions of other animals whose bodies we needlessly eat or test upon, or those we use to clothe or entertain us. With the free-living others of the Earth whose homes and lives we destroy as we burn and trash the planet in our senseless greed.
We all wish for peace, and for love. As the light returns we need to allow it to illuminate something in ourselves - the good we all have in us, which will help us to be kinder to everyone, more grateful, and more open to make changes in our lives which will benefit all beings and this incredible planet we are blessed to live on.