Happy New Year
That Feels Like No Other
The Earth has completed another orbit around the sun; another year passes. I’ve always loved the waning days of a year. I enjoy reflecting on big life events that took place and setting goals for the months ahead. That still holds, but this time, along with anticipation and aspiration, I feel a thread of trepidation, a low-grade dread of the incoming regime stepping into power. I’ve heard from enough of you to know I’m not alone in such paradoxical feelings.
The hope I keep turning to is that the upcoming upheaval will produce a much-needed turning point in political, media, and economic systems that have been failing for decades. I hope it also cracks open an honest reckoning with the dark aspects of our collective culture.
Going into 2025, I’m holding onto such hope and am fully committed to doing whatever I can with my voice, my choices, my writing, direct civil disobedience if necessary. And no matter the height or steepness of the mountain before us I’ll be choosing joy, love, and kindness. Joy and love in the face of darkness are themselves a form of resistance. Joy means refusing to let the bad actors win – not just on policy choices, but in our hearts. As people begin to reel in the months to come, demonstrating contrast, a better way of being, will heighten the opportunity to shift collective trajectory. Showing the world that love and hope are stronger than greed is key to creating a brighter future.
The beginning of a new year always feels like a time of rebirth, an opportunity to leave the old behind and begin anew. Our weary world needs each of us who sense the darkness to renew ourselves and commit to rebirthing society and humanity into a new way of being. How we show up in this coming year is going to matter. I know that a better world and a brighter future is possible even if I can’t clearly see the path from here.
I’m reminded of the scene near the end of Lord of the Rings’ Return of the King when hobbits Frodo and Samwise have nearly made it to the fires of Mordor to destroy the evil ring but they are on death’s door. Fire is raining down around them and Frodo is so exhausted he cannot climb another step.
Frodo says, “I can’t do this, Sam.”
Sam responds, “I know. It’s all wrong. By rights we shouldn’t even be here. But we are. It’s like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo. The ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger they were. And sometimes you didn’t want to know the end. Because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened?
But in the end, it’s only a passing thing, this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines it will shine out the clearer. Those were the stories that stayed with you. That meant something. Even if you were too small to understand why. But I think, Mr. Frodo, I do understand. I know now. Folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back only they didn’t. Because they were holding on to something.”
Dejected and in pain Frodo asks, “What are we holding on to, Sam?”
Sam passionately replies, “That there’s some good in this world, Mr. Frodo. And it’s worth fighting for.”
There is always good in the world and shadows will pass.
Thanks so very much to all you readers and especially the subscribers who make this work possible. TRANSCEND grew to well over 3,050 total subscribers and the number of paid subscribers doubled in 2024. I’m pleased to report I met my goal of delivering at least one quality, substantive essay each week. I am excited to keep writing my heart out for you and meet or exceed that goal in 2025!
I will continue to research and analyze ecological issues and cultural/political happenings, share resources for personal wellbeing and collective action, and every so often report on positive gains for beloved planet Earth and the magnificent creatures she supports. In a sea of disinformation, I promise TRANSCEND will be diligent about sharing only truth.
Thank you for supporting this work and being part of our community. May you each have a blessed and beautiful next trip around the sun.
As an added thank you to readers who might want to upgrade to supporting subscribers here is a New Year’s Special Discount Offer – 25% off as we launch 2025!
Final Week to Register for Online Prosperity Class
This course examines the prosperity teachings of Charles Fillmore, Eric Butterworth, Lynn Twist and other contemporary teachings. Students explore the broader meaning of prosperity beyond “material things” to discover their own beliefs about money, abundance and lack. Students create practices for healing limitations they hold about prosperity, and discover ways to address their own unexamined, unconscious assumptions about abundance, giving and receiving.
This course will also explore some of the challenges in the status quo consumption-based economic system that is our current societal operating system as well as alternatives that could bring about a healthier world.
Tuesdays, 1 – 2:30pm Pacific, Jan. 7, 14, 21, 28, Feb. 4, 11. Online via Zoom
And just because so many of you report loving the Life with Livvy pieces, here’s my favorite pic so far of her doing her thing and smiling.
