November, welcome!   In this part of the world , you bring wind.  You bring rain.  And politically this year, you bring ongoing devastations of war, growing tension, escalating fear and great global uncertainty.  But I don’t want to focus on those.

Where I live, November has been known to be an opportunity to making time to experience a sense of calm.  It’s intentional calmness —  by slowing down … becoming more involved in our art/craft/hobby … curling up by the fire … getting lost in a great book … making comfort foods … being creative … catching up with friends by phone and mail … be-ing hopeful.

Yes, being hopeful. 
There is always hope. 
Perhaps not tangible. 
Perhaps not visible these days. 
But hope exists.

How is hope here if we are feeling fearful, isolated, uncertain?  It’s here, because hope is here in us. 
We are the hope. 
We are the hope that after November
… there will be a December … and a January … and a February, etc.   

And that hope is not just for ourselves, but it is for those living in refugee camps, those at borders trying to cross and leave war-torn areas, those being arrested by ICE, those uncertain about being able to afford to buy food to feed themselves/their families, those making decisions about what to do when it comes to paying for medicine/doctor’s visits/hospitalizations with all of the medical insurance rises.

We cannot lose hope – because if we do, what are the ones who can see no hope (beyond the possibility of a glass of water, a crust of bread, a loved one released from the prison of a building that collapsed), what are they going to do?

May we take each month as it comes.   
May we take each week as it comes. 
May we take day as it comes. 
May we take each moment as it comes
and look to this month of November as a month
where courage will be found
and where hope will prevail.
Welcome, November.