“You may have a fresh start any moment you choose, for this thing that we call “failure” is not falling, but staying down.” – Mary Pickford.

The Time Is Now For me.

I stand in a space between two worlds. The first world is one I grew up in, the world in which the Statue of Liberty stood proudly in New York harbor for my parents and grandparents to come to our promised land. I thought it would last forever.

The second world is the one we live in now,  a stranger, filled with hypocrisy world in which the immigrants are no longer welcome and the people who talk the most about Jesus Christ now war against the poor, the vulnerable, and the homeless.

This is a world of rage and grievance.

I have a choice. I’ve made my choice. I want this blog to be a Pocket Of Joy, a place of peace, calm, healing, and trust.

Paul Lightfoot wrote a beautiful message today which is timely, it echoes where I want to be and who I want to be, and what I want this blog to be:

“I’ve been a fan of you for a long time and appreciate your work and love of nature and all of God’s creatures; thank you so much…”

My blog has evolved so much since I started it in 2007. I want it to be a safe place for good people who wish to be good and learn about other good people.

A place that looks for joy not outrage and grievance.

The world is a landmine of conflict and finger-pointing, and lies.

National borders worldwide are breaking down as people are driven by their homes and desperately seek a place in other countries.

At the same time, and perhaps in response, far-right and far-left political positions and climate changes divide us everywhere and threaten the stability and international peace.

I can’t solve the world’s problems or even come close to understanding them, but I can choose my destiny and my purpose in my life.

I can’t tell other people what to do. I don’t want to.

I can refuse to accept the moral deterioration swirling and embrace the concept of an as-yet-unknown indeed holder and gentler future.

I have little real power in the world but a lot of energy on my blog.

I can say no to hatred and argument. It has no place in this blog or my head.

I can say no to the abuse of women.

I can say no to the demonizing of the stranger.

I can say no to crimes and cruelty against immigrants.

I can say no to the isolation and abandonment of the elderly.

I can say no to any politician or political organization that promotes cruelty and extremism.

I can say yes to flowers, good deeds, — and joy.

I can say yes to the love of nature, flowers, animals, and God’s creatures, whoever they are and in whatever form they take.

They can never take the joy away from us.

There is no such thing as a failure on the spiritual journey – forgive me for being late – to the reign of compassion, empathy, and justice. To me, that is the Holy Land.

Better to have failed than to have missed the freedom of heart and soul that comes from speaking the Truth to those who would smother it with lies and hatred.

My mission is not to argue or divide or fight.

It is to work hard and faithfully to create a Pocket of Joy in a troubled world. That’s what I can do.  Make the blog a place for good. That’s my choice.

Thanks, Paul, for your kindness and encouragement.

I will get there. I am close.