Hopes and dreams for 2018

There is something about a blanket of new snow that inspires wonder, and a sense of peace.  This is especially true with the first snow of the season.  Venturing into the cold this past Thursday, chickadees flitted about among the autumn olives and honeysuckles that huddled together roadside.  It is amazing how well these tiny birds have adapted to the bitter temperatures.

There are always more birds at the “T” that marks the nearest side road to our home.  Birdfeeders there are always filled for the fortunate flocks.  The birds delight in this gracious offering, especially during the coldest months when berries have fallen from the trees and the summer’s bounty has faded to a distant memory.

Winter months are a vulnerable time of year for many, and like these small wonderful birds – able to adapt and bring so much to the world around them despite adversity – many people in our communities reach out to the generosity of others.  Area pantries and food kitchens offer up a welcoming bounty during the winter months, when resources are scarce and temperatures outside plummet.     

All of us harbor hopes and dreams as we head into 2018.  Some of these fall closer to home: the wellbeing of loved ones, doing the best we can for our children, caring for our parents as they age, providing comfort to close friends and finding peace and relative prosperity for living well.  Other hopes and dreams extend beyond the boundaries of home, stretching out into neighboring communities, distant states and faraway lands.   

Years’ ends provide opportunity to reflect and wonder at what has come before, and what lies ahead.   Standing on the banks of Canadice Outlet, I notice how snow along the branches reveals their harsher angles and intersecting lines.  These stand out in sharp contrast to the gentle blanketed areas of pristine white, reminding me that even in times of peace all is not well, that harmful forces linger beneath the calm.

Fear, conflict and the darkness of humanity’s collective soul have emerged from the shadows in 2017.  They were always there, have always been there.  Conflict is nothing new in the annals of humankind; discrimination, hatred and abuse of power against those less fortunate have left deep and enduring stains on our collective roots.  Perhaps shedding light on some of our transgressions will, in the end, lead to insight and healing.  My fear is that it will, instead, drive hatred and abuse deeper into the shadows, leaving a mist-covered illusion of peace and wellbeing that soothes the masses into lassitude and inaction.

Still, for a moment, looking out at the snow, I lingered in a peaceful place where life is simpler.  Where those in power seek diplomatic and peaceful resolutions to ancient conflicts, and feeding and sheltering the less fortunate is more important than slinging insults and building weapons of war.  Turning toward home, I paused one last time to listen, and reflect, as the wind whispered gently through the trees and water voices rose up, rejoicing in the promise of a new day, and a new beginning.

D.E. Bentley

Editor, Owl Light News