I’ve figured out how I wish to spend the next few years. I’ll make my blog a Sanctuary Blog and work on creating a safe place for people to come and calm down and escape the outside madness.  The following years will be a long and unnerving haul filled with chaos, confusion, argument, and fear. However, I am growing to like the idea of the Sanctuary Blog, and I already feel some encouraging changes. The birds, the animals, the flowers, Maria’s blog, my writing, the donkeys,  Maria’s excellent work, my sheep and Zip, and our deep connection with nature.

First, there will be no argument about politics, which is difficult to achieve in modern-day America. There will be no argument about anything, just thoughts and honest and civil observations and ideas. It’s a free zone; you can write about anything you want as long as you do so civilly and respectfully.  You won’t have to defend or explain your thoughts or listen to other’s criticism.  Your ideas are yours; you should be able to make them without instant criticism or challenge. No hate stuff, of course. Ideas have a right to live and breathe, not pounded upon the second they appear.

We’ll share this experience in a loose but safe manner. I’ll be the manager. I reserve the right to kick out anyone who lacks manners or respect for others. You just have to be nice. I’ll continue sharing my spiritual work and journey into old age. I have a lot to say.

There have always been thoughtful and engaging people on my blog, but more and more people are coming.

The Trolls and the Yentas are in retreat; I do not miss them or pay much attention. I thank them for making me wiser and healthier.

I have better things to do, and I’m committed to using my time wisely and for good. According to the messages I receive, more and more people are coming to the blog and recommending it to others. They are preparing for the storm. It’s my job to be vigilant and ensure it is a safe place for people to come, no matter their politics. I don’t ask, and nobody needs to tell. And I am not interested.

The decision has been made clear after years of experimentation and the commitment of some good, loyal people. I know where I want to be with the blog now: no more fussing, handwriting, or uncertainty.

My spiritual work has been a life changer; I am learning who I am, liking who I am, and coming to terms with what I want my life to be. It wasn’t easy, but it feels good.

I have to be honest and thank the chilling tone of our politics; it makes me more determined than ever to avoid rage, hatred, and fear as a way of life. It also makes many people want to visit a safe blog.

My blog is a reflection of me; God help it. But I know what I want. I want to feel like I feel when we send refugee kids to college, when I can help the Cambridge  Food Pantry get more food, or when I can go to a big and beautiful museum with my wife and give thanks for my life.

I can seize the moment and make the blog safe, fun, and stimulating. I like where my writing is, and my photography is a work in progress, heading in the right direction. I don’t need to tear the blog apart; I need to be disciplined about it being a Sanctuary.

I don’t see Sanctuary as a political word. It’s pretty simple. The dictionary definition of Sanctuary is straightforward – “a place of refuge or safety. That’s it.

I’m getting clear about my spirituality, a process that will continue until I die. Even in the face of challenge and difficulty, persistence allows an older person like me—who sometimes feels discarded and removed—to insist that quitting is not the answer. And I have no room for quitting, even when I wonder if the world still needs me.

But it does. I get messages every day of the week from men and women everywhere who are frightened, confused, and worried about the future. They thank me for giving them a peaceful and even beautiful respite, a place to go where they can take a deep breath, look at a flower, blog, or essay, and feel safe.

I accept that role; it’s perfect for me and calls on decades of relevant experience. So that’s where we are with the Sanctuary blog. You are welcome here; please come in goodwill and peace.

I can see the end creeping up now that I’m old enough. I want to use my time well, so thanks for helping me. I have a good feeling about this. It fits. It looks like Zip will be along every step of the way. So, Pincus, my Bad Boy Starling friend, will be the sanctuary blog’s symbol, at least for now.