when light is hard to come by, when cold winds blow,
when days are shorter, and nights are longer,
when the bounty of autumn is eclipsed by winter’s emptiness,
when hope grows thin amid despair—how easy it is to feel lost!
And so it is we gather together here today
that we might find our way back to our best and truest selves,
that we might find our way back to beloved community for all,
that we might find our way back to now, just as it is.
Let us pause for a moment of silence to regain our equilibrium,
and to regain our bearings as we find our way back to Now.
May we find the light of hope amid the darkness of despair.
May we find the warmth of love amid the coldness of fear.
And may we find our way back to Now, to this moment of peace,
to this moment of love and solidarity, again and again and again.
Amen!
