Meditations and Reflections on New Years 2025

I believe that I am almost in a state of paralysis, my mind full of thoughts and ideas wanting to be expressed, but entirely exhausted trying to make my way through the pages and chapters of the book titled Two Thousand Twenty-Four. So much has happened in the World, in our Country. The political environment we have been living in and the remarkable contentious Presidential election has exposed the great divide in these anything BUT United States. I find myself wondering, how did we get here and how can we get out of here? No matter your political leanings, this elections was fraught with explosive rhetoric, an assassination attempt and a candidates withdrawal…just naming a few crazy events. Politics this past year and the impact that this environment has had on me personally leaves me deplete of words that could be helpful in making any kind of sense of what has transpired while carving out a path, a plan to move forward with ease and piece of mind.

As the campaigned became more and more contentious, I made promises to myself to find calm, seek understanding and to express my patriotism as belief in the process, the Democratic process, mindful that our Country is still young, still growing, learning and maturing. I constantly remind myself that 9/11 happened after a very contentious election, the Bush-Gore recount, remember the hanging Chads, hand Recount for Florida’s 25 Electoral Votes…it was so close and so contentious, lines were drawn, sides were taken. For the months following George Bush’s inauguration January 20, 2001 leading up to 9/11, we were still licking our wounds from a very divisive election, an election that hinged on many of the same issues we are dealing with present day. With this in mind, I recall 9/12 and somehow I know that this too shall pass, we will be United States once again. I find myself reliving the bullhorn speech President George W Bush made on 9/14 at Ground Zero, a visual I, many of us will never forget. More than anything I am filling my mind with positive thought, the kind that evoke the feelings I had on 9/12, the feelings that we all had, and the pride and patriotism in our Country immediately following this catastrophic National Tragedy.

Staying with 9/11, at the most catastrophic terrorist trauma we witnessed heroism, the likes of which I had believed was reserved for fictional movie characters and historical heavyweights like Mother Teresa! We witnessed compassion, caring and fellowship in an entirely new and profoundly deep way, connecting us, unifying our Country. I was in awe of how our government worked urgently, contemplatively, cooperatively and in the most unified lock step manner. Moving through this year I am going to seek connections and stay away from conflict, I am going to listen to my intuition, live in gratitude and endeavor to be in the present moment. I believe that we have a remarkable Country and Government built on the principles clearly stated in our Declaration of Independence, that “all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights, that among these are, life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” That is really an ideal, it is a dream…inalienable rights, liberties that can not be taken away, protection that is guaranteed. I remind myself that the preamble to our constitution sums it all up, saying that, “We the People of the United States of America, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the Common Defense, promote the general Welfare.

I believe that many harmful and painful feelings germinate from negative thoughts, fears that are fixed idea or positions on any number of topics where there is no room to see or hear anything contrary. It is not that I want to put my head in the sand or live in lala land, I just know that living with angst, fear, contention and discomfort surrounding National and International Politics erodes my ability to stay positive, be positive and optimistic. My Political views are tied to my moral compass and the core of my being and I feel strongly and deeply about many political matters, still I’m not willing to dismiss people I love for the political views they hold. I do not feel the need to argue a point or engage in dialogues where I am unwilling to listen, or where I will not be heard. Every discussion does not need to be an argument and I want to pick and choose how I use my energy and influence, if I have any.

I am going to light a candle every morning, meditate and do a gentle Yoga practice. The candle symbolic of light, warmth vision and I will light candles Friday nights, as a way to mark time, contemplate and meditate weekly, really a push to connect body, mind and spirit…a check in. Using rituals helps me to move through my days with set intentions, some movement and meditation, a way to drop into the present moment where I am free of the tyranny that is politics, that is life.

Let’s be kind to one another and seek understanding, and if understanding eludes us invite compassion and move on.

With so much love,

Stephanie