Well, it looks like we made it, breath, sigh, pause, breath. 2020 fare the well! I’m not of the belief that the whole year has been a loss but man… it was rough, real rough for many. Sadly, I watched many people I love so much hurt so very badly.  Isolation, financial depravity, illness, depression, uncertainty, despondency…

Just last night a dear old soulful friend texted me to say his older brother (not very old) was being intubated because of the covid and his wife’s breast cancer had re-emerged after 10 years in remission and this morning a young enough friend reported more mysterious and disturbing abnormalities on his mri brain scan. Rough 24 hours and yet not nearly as hopeless compared to so many others many whose circumstances and lives have been hurt beyond repair or extinguished.

Loss, pain, shitty seasons if not years, they suck, that for sure.

but..but…if you’re lucky enough to live long enough they are part of our condition, that’s life.

I hope that along with and in between any of your loss and pain that your 2020 has had some successes, some growth and hopefully more than a few moments of joy as you have weathered this chaotic run. Some silver linings as me and the boys have come to call em. The silver lining that I witnessed and experienced was time.

Time with people that under ordinary circumstances I would not have had and many fathers and mothers would not have had with their kids and spouses time together, not at the office, at the kitchen table on lap tops taking coffee breaks together.

As those closet to me know, I continually dig for truths, insight, hope and ideas to shape my heart and fight back the demons that are never to far away.

This morning, before the light of day, with the last bit of wick on the Christmas candle burning, the fountain bubbling just outside my window, I listened to a rich talk from a big brained, open hearted theologian/human being.

He was asked at the end of the talk during the Q and A, “given your unorthodox approach to traditional religion and in your experience what do you focus on to experience and honor god as you understand him?”

He said, I believe in a creator that is the Life force and is present in all life, so I dedicate each of my days to Living fully.

He said, I believe in creator that values Love for people and all creation above everything else, so everyday I do all that I can to share Love with everyone I connect with, wether they can give it back in return or not or if I think they “deserve” it or not.

He finally said, I believe in a creator that made me a full and complete human Being, So every day I do all that I can to be all of the human being that I am, embracing all my strengths as well as my imperfections.

I was moved profoundly

• live fully
• love deeply
• be bravely all that you are

As I give thanks for all that has gone so well for me this year, all that could have gone so very wrong and didn’t and as I step into a set of very uncomfortable unknowns, like each of you, I will carry those three ideas/truths enthusiastically into 2021. In my head, heart and spirit.

Wishing each of you peace beyond understanding in any and all of your pain and great hope in the unwritten goodness of your days ahead.

Friendship, Strength and Honor,

PCD