A quiet place

Whatever your temple, I hope you find 

A place of quiet to breathe in today, 

And a taste of light in the cold and gray.

Wreathed in love

All nature is wreathed in love…

Peace be with you

How can we avoid getting caught 

In the whirlwind that Christmas has become? 

How can we protect what quiet time we have 

From the thoughts of preparations 

 That insist upon intruding? 

Let peace and silence be your oxygen mask, 

And keep breathing…

In gratitude

Looking back along the road 

We’ve walked so far this year, 

Hearts overflow with gratitude 

 To see how far we’ve come, 

And that we have survived, and found 

New ways to cope and bless the world 

Around us. And, looking forward, 

 We can dream of finding ways 

 To bridge the gap between 

 Our neighbors and ourselves; 

To open hearts, dismantle walls, 

And build community.

Those golden moments

Like the sun, 

The spotlight of spiritual well-being 

 Is always moving. 

For every day the light seems to hit just right; 

For every day we know we’re in the zone, 

Following the path we were born to follow, 

There will be many more where we feel 

Lost or confused, 

 Abandoned by the very hope 

That brought us to this place, 

Yet still we bow our heads 

And lean into that silent space, 

Knowing those golden moments 

Are worth the wait.

The roots are more complex

When the roots of our issues are exposed, 

We find they’re often far more complex 

Than we might have anticipated; 

Complexities often triggered 

By a determination to survive 

Despite overwhelming obstacles…

For all who travel alone

In a week designed to celebrate 

 Community and family and survival, 

We remember all of those who travel alone…