There is goodness in the world worth fighting for!

Frodo: I can't do this, Sam.
Sam: I know. It's all wrong. By rights we shouldn't even be here. But we are. It's like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo. The ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger, they were. And sometimes you didn't want to know the end. Because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened? But in the end, it's only a passing thing, this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines it will shine out the clearer. Those were the stories that stayed with you. That meant something, even if you were too small to understand why. But I think, Mr. Frodo, I do understand. I know now. Folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back, only they didn't. They kept going. Because they were holding on to something.
Frodo: What are we holding onto, Sam?
Sam: That there's some good in this world, Mr. Frodo... and it's worth fighting for."
— J.R.R. Tolkien (The Two Towers (The Lord of the Rings, #2))

The old year of 2012 is soon to be ending and 2013 will be starting anew. We'll all be cleaning up the post holiday clutter and starting our new resolutions for the upcoming year.  It has been a long hard year....in more ways than one for me.  The news on the TV has been heartbreaking--war, death, hurricane, tornado, earthquakes, tsunami's, fires, shootings---and all the while during the first part of the year, I wrestled through one of the toughest and darkest nights of the soul I think I've ever experienced.  I hope I never go back to that place.  The wonder of it all is---I got through---with a lot of help from those who love me (and a bit of help from the health care system).   What I will say about it all is this:  I have learned alot...alot about me, my family and life.   I was reminded in the midst and after it was over ---that even when the storm is it's darkest---when I can see no hope of sunshine---somehow the storm passes and the rainbow spreads across the sky in celebration of rocky times being over.  I was reminded that even in the midst of bad times when it seems there are no "good people" left in the world---somewhere out of the strangest places--'grace and mercy  mix together floats up a bit of hope---and in the strangest of places in the strangest kinds of ways----love overpowers hate and jealousy and envy.  I learned boundaries are important---and most of all trusting my own intuitions regarding people should not be doubted.
I enter a new year
Sexier Hotter and feeling good for the soon to be fiftieth anniversary of my birth.
I appreciate small things more than I used to and relish the sacredness of family.  I've learned that the small stuff should not be sweated and guess what I've learned-- almost all of it--it being that stuff that keeps us awake, causes us anxiety---it is all small stuff.
I've learned to balance my life
to take time to rest or sit in front of the fire
and
I'm learning to be present
more present to my family and friends.

so now what
in the upcoming year
I hope to become even more healthier and
hopefully see Big Daddy get a bit healthier but that is his deal---(hint quit smoking and quit eating butter--I want you around to drive the RV).   I hope to laugh more often and enjoy life...
really enjoy...that is another thing I am learning to do....

The Mystery--that sustained me during my dark night of the soul---found me and draws me
deeper into the realm of being
and living
and leads me toward
becoming all that I was created to be
I am not there yet...
but I'm still walking, crawling, trying.
I am wiping away the lenses given by others
and
am finally seeing--really seeing the world with my own eyes....
so
even in the midst of one of my darkest year
....
goodness 
it overcomes
outweighs
and
overrides the darkness.

I am thankful to be alive!!!
In the upcoming year
may each of you
find a deeper aspect of yourself and 
live fully
refreshed
restored
revived
and
renewed as 
as a loved and cherished child of the Universe.

Ann Curry recently sent a tweet while she was wondering what the answer to the worlds suffering might be
and she sent the following:


After the experience in Newtown. I thought, “What if? Imagine if everyone could commit to doing one act of kindness for every one of those children killed in Newtown.” So that’s what I tweeted. And guess what? People committed. I said in my tweet, “I’m in. RT if you’re in.” Not only did they commit to 20 acts of kindness, they wanted to up it to 26 acts of kindness for every child and adult who was lost at the school. Some even debated maybe we should include the mother, who died, at 27 acts. Some debated maybe we should include the killer as well as he was struggling and in pain.

So what would happen?

I am in and hope commit to 28 acts....adding one for the mother and one big one to override the darkness the killer felt and caused.
How about it...
Are you in?

let me know and share what you are willing...
let's start a year
teaching,
sharing,
being,
infusing 
love and goodness and hope to and in and for the world.

May it be so..
for me
for you
for all of us....

happy morning..

The radical rambler