New Year

Looking at the New Year through the Lens of Belonging

I am reading the book Cherished Belonging by Jesuit priest Gregory Boyle. For over 30 years he has worked with street gangs in Los Angeles in what is called Homeboy Industries. They provide support in trauma and employment in their social enterprises which include electronics and recycling, homegirl café, homeboy bakery, catering, silk and embroidery work to name a few. Mostly, they are laser focused on belonging as the prime mover in edging people closer to wholeness.

Belonging [and not belonging] is a primal experience in our bodies, in our minds and in our spirits. It cuts across every form of relationship possible: belonging to my family and friends, to my neighbourhood, to my country, to Earth herself and ultimately belonging to myself. This sense of belonging is one thing we mean by the phrase experiencing the Sacred in life.

And yet one might use the lens of not belonging as a way to describe the violence of our time, the polarization of our time, the dislocation from oneself of our time.

As we begin this new year that many of us hope will not be simply “more of the same”, perhaps the lens of belonging will reveal something new to us.

Looking for a good read - try Cherished Belonging.

-Sister Margo Ritchie, csj

It’s as Simple as Saying Hello

As we approach the end of the holiday season, we are reminded of how simple gestures—like a smile or a kind greeting—can have a profound effect on someone’s day. Within many folks, there is a feeling of separateness and a sense of invisibility,  as an after- effect of COVID distancing as well as society’s growing affinity for constant digital connection. There is a remedy for this feeling of isolation.

As we move into 2025, it is a wonderful opportunity to carry forward the spirit of goodwill by being more intentional in acknowledging the people we encounter. Whether it is a simple “good morning,” “have a nice day,” or just a smile. These small acts of kindness can make a world of difference. As Jeffrey Pillow, storyteller, points out, gestures can set the tone for someone's day, reinforcing the idea that, despite the challenges we face, we are all part of something larger, and not alone in the world.

Adopting this practice of noticing and acknowledging others may not only improve someone else’s mood, but also contribute to our own sense of connection and well-being. It is an easy and effective way to brighten someone’s day and be a lifegiving reminder of all the good that still exists around us. The habit of greeting can reinforce togetherness and be an effective antidote to reverse the effects of separateness. Make greeting one another a New Year’s resolution!

-Sister Nancy Wales, csj

A New Year

“We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year’s Day.”

Edith Lovejoy Pierce (1904–1983)

Image: Unsplash/Markus Spiske

I came across Edith Lovejoy Pierce’s message while asking Google’s help in finding a adage for the New Year. The poet uses the metaphor that the New Year is a book of blank pages.  As an avid reader, this image appealed to me. We frail earthlings on this fragile planet find ourselves on the threshold of a new year faced with a yet unscripted future.

For most folks a new year holds the promise of a fresh start, the possibility of minor makeovers and the chance for inner renovations. Lolly Daskal, the president and CEO of Lead from Within, offers us a simple framework to ponder how we wish to enter as we stand at the doorway of 2023. Daskal suggests that we ask ourselves and reflect upon six simple questions in taking our personal inventory of what’s what:

  •  What should I start?

  •  What should I stop?

  •  Of what should I do more?

  •  Of what should I do less?

  •  What should I continue?

  •  For what should I be grateful?

I think that Daskal’s last question is most important. It speaks to the energy of gratitude that keeps us going. In a similar vein, Canadian author, Louise Margaret Granahan, in her poem, “Blessed and Blessings”, offers us four important reminders about blessings as we begin 2023:

“We hold blessings tenderly, for they are fragile and can slip away.

We cherish blessings thankfully, for they make the dark times easier to bear.

We acknowledge blessings, for so many others have gone unnoticed.

We create blessings lovingly, for we know God works through us to be a blessing to others.”
— Louise Margaret Granahan

As 2023 unfolds, and we script our days, may we often acknowledge that we are both blessed and a blessing.

-Sister Nancy Wales

“God works through us to be a blessing to others.”
— Louise Margaret Granahan

Choosing a Lens for 2023

Many of us at the beginning of a new year make resolutions or set new goals for ourselves. Recently, I had the opportunity to view one of the TED Talks given by Dewitt Jones. Dewitt Jones is an American professional photographer, writer, film director and public speaker, who is known for his work as a freelance photojournalist for National Geographic. The title of his talk, Celebrate What’s Right with the World could easily be adopted as a very worthwhile attitude to adopt for 2023.

“… our vision controls our perception, and our perception becomes our reality” as Dewitt emphasises through his words and photographs during his twenty -minute presentation.

How might our moods and daily lives be altered if we set our personal compass on finding goodness, abundance, possibilities and what is right in the world.

Let’s pick up and use that lens of celebration!

-Sister Nancy Wales, csj