Celebrate, reflect, and renew

an enduring wisdom that has at its core the belief that there can be
a world that enshrines goodwill to all

Eric LaMont Gregory

We share so much in common that it is often difficult to find the source of the conflicts that tend to divide us.  And yet conflicts there are. 

We all have times of the year that we set aside to celebrate, and other times to reflect upon our own condition and that of others, as well as occasions meant to renew our spirits and our vows.  Yes, we may celebrate in different languages, and the way we choose to reflect may vary, and the rituals by which we demonstrate the renewal of our allegiance to cherished beliefs differ marvelously, and yet we all have these customs in common.

The meaning of even our most cherished traditions and the practices associated with them inevitably change over time, and for some these changes are welcomed, while for others they portend ominously.  And yet change is inevitable after all.

This has been a trying year for many, and for others it will be remembered as a year in which they fell in love, worked through difficult times, witnessed the kind of behavior that bodes well for the continued existence of humankind on this planet.  It is this dichotomy, good and evil, war and peace, kindness and brutality, bringing things into the light, while others slip into the shadowy darkness, which bewilders the thoughtful mind.

At times, it must seem that the forces of ill will triumph over those of goodwill, and yet life goes on.  It is renewed daily, and daily we take up the challenge of leaving as much good as possible to our prosperity. 

Whatever the future holds it will be the gift of our labor, how well we meet the challenges before us, whether they are sown from the hand of man, nature, or beyond the confines of the affairs of mere mortals.

Remembering, that the rights of man stem not from the generosity of the creations of other men, but from the mind of God.

Perhaps as we celebrate, reflect and renew we will also consider that with the inalienable right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness comes the corollary inalienable responsibility to respect the rights of others to live free, and to pursue happiness constrained only by the limitation of not harming others.

Many traditions change, yet others, such as - do unto others as you would have them do unto you - carry with them a timeless quality, an enduring wisdom that has at its core the belief that there can be a world that enshrines goodwill to all.