Candle in my window

Tonight, I've lit a candle in my window, to help those who were lost find their way to peace.

I'd like to believe in a loving place that greets us when we are no longer of this Earth. I'm not much for organized religion but I do believe that good people can organize and create positive change outside of any one faith.

I've cried today, thinking of the families that are cratered by senseless violence.  The 26 families made up of of mothers, fathers, aunt, uncles, sisters, brothers, grandparents and cousins and friends of those who were hunted down today in Connecticut. Or the families of the average 87 gun-related deaths that happen each day in the United States. Or the families of the 22 Chinese children that were stabbed today.

I would like to think that the "end of our existence as we know it," the ushering in of a new collective consciousness that is to be heralded by December 21, 2012, can actually take place. Maybe I am an overly optimistic hippy, maybe I'm in the wrong era. But I do believe we can all choose peace and love. The thing is, we have to give it to everyone we meet. I'm not saying I'm perfect, by any stretch, but what I am saying is that if we continue on this path of shaming and hating and destroying other people because they don't conform to our political or religious beliefs, we're not going to get very far.

I'm lighting a candle in my window tonight, and every night for the next week, as my desire for our troubled humanity to find its way to peace. I hope you'll join me. Maybe we can start a dialogue soon about what we're wanting to see from the world and each other. Tonight is for silence and reflection.