I've changed a lot over these past years in ways that I was not able to fully imagine. Has it been good? Well, that depends on where you're standing. My conviction has been growing that no matter what amazing insights I might gain into the nature of reality and the meaning of life itself and how we are to live, it's all fairly insubstantial if I'm unwilling to really live these things out in the choices that I make in the relationships that I share with others and the world.
Am I really doing this? In some ways, yes, and in many ways, no. I think I'm more on the “no” side of things at this point and I can see how hypocritical that is, especially to those who see these inconsistencies more clearly.
Human beings are complicated, are we not? Most of us do and say things we regret, things we wouldn't do or say in our best moments. We're not perfect. But even if perfection is out of the picture, we can become so much more than we are. Christmas, to me, isn't about a baby born in a manger 2000 years ago but rather it's significance is found in what it is pointing towards: an incredible possibility.
It's a celebration of the birth of Jesus and yet it's also a time to consider and celebrate what his message was: that deep and profound transformation is genuinely possible, that being 'only human' can, in fact, express a radically different relationship to life than what we may believe is possible, one that is more positive, fulfilling and meaningful than we might be able to imagine.
Whatever path you're walking down, my desire for you is that you do not give up on this possibility. What keeps us from taking some significant steps forward is often our own cynicism about what's really possible, what we're capable of doing, and how much change we can deal with. This is something we will all continue to face, over and over again, until we either give up on the possibility for real and lasting change or we give up our cynicism and self-limiting assumptions. My hope for myself and for you is the latter:)
Whatever path you are on, my hope for this new year is that we will all take steps forward, in whatever ways we can, no matter how big or small.
Am I really doing this? In some ways, yes, and in many ways, no. I think I'm more on the “no” side of things at this point and I can see how hypocritical that is, especially to those who see these inconsistencies more clearly.
Human beings are complicated, are we not? Most of us do and say things we regret, things we wouldn't do or say in our best moments. We're not perfect. But even if perfection is out of the picture, we can become so much more than we are. Christmas, to me, isn't about a baby born in a manger 2000 years ago but rather it's significance is found in what it is pointing towards: an incredible possibility.
It's a celebration of the birth of Jesus and yet it's also a time to consider and celebrate what his message was: that deep and profound transformation is genuinely possible, that being 'only human' can, in fact, express a radically different relationship to life than what we may believe is possible, one that is more positive, fulfilling and meaningful than we might be able to imagine.
Whatever path you're walking down, my desire for you is that you do not give up on this possibility. What keeps us from taking some significant steps forward is often our own cynicism about what's really possible, what we're capable of doing, and how much change we can deal with. This is something we will all continue to face, over and over again, until we either give up on the possibility for real and lasting change or we give up our cynicism and self-limiting assumptions. My hope for myself and for you is the latter:)
Whatever path you are on, my hope for this new year is that we will all take steps forward, in whatever ways we can, no matter how big or small.
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