MEDITATION FOR THE WINTER SOLSTICE

At age 72 I have experienced, studied and thought enough to be sure that I can be sure about almost nothing, maybe nothing at all. Still, based on impressions that seemed to be adequate at the time, throughout my life I've been sustained by an ever evolving Philosophy of Life.

When I was a young man, my Philosophy mainly provided peace of mind in a turbulent, violent world. During most of my adulthood, my Philosophy was mature enough to serve as a guiding light whenever I needed to make decisions. During these final years of my life, my Philosophy has blossomed into something that I might as well refer to as my Spirituality.

For, now I see that I and everything else in the Universe all along have been manifestations within the One Thing, what as a child I was taught to call "God." This insight is transformational. Birds, trees, wind, rocks, the starry sky, myself... all musical notes in a symphony that moves and inspires me more and more.

And so, despite an ever growing uncertainty about everything, I feel comfortable telling you that it is good to have a Philosophy of Life, at least if it is based on the "the Word of God" Herself, which is Nature, and at least if you allow it to evolve, and to lead you on and on.

Moreover, now is the very time to consider this feature of the human condition: That we humans make many mistakes and suffer all kinds of misfortunes, from which we must start over, again and again.

This starting over can be a kind of rebirth, at least if we let it. And to us biological beings in Earth's Northern Hemisphere, during the entire annual cycle, this Saturday, December 21, is the most appropriate day for celebrating the wonder of being able to be reborn again and again, to ever more exalted levels of thought, feeling and spirituality.