While the promise of “Peace on earth, good will to men” seems well out of reach, the truth is that peace begins right here, in our very hearts. It starts with – and grows from – the good qualities we express to our neighbors and the world around us.

While the promise of “Peace on earth, good will to men” seems well out of reach, the truth is that peace begins right here, in our very hearts. It starts with – and grows from – the good qualities we express to our neighbors and the world around us. Each moment, we can cultivate peace right here and now.

Nature proves the quality of grace can still inspire us amid troubled times, as observed while recently skiing over the winter landscape under a clear blue sky.

“Christmas is not a time or a season, but a state of mind. To cherish peace and goodwill, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas.” — President Calvin Coolidge

Gratitude moves thought outward, away from self, and toward universal good and mutually supported well being.

This week, a group of Woodstock-area volunteers helped make Thanksgiving a brighter time of year for local families in need. Saturday was pick-up day for the annual Thanksgiving Project by the Woodstock Community Food Shelf.

As the cold deepens and the colors turn, let’s embrace the happiness that nature’s brilliance inspires and share it with others.

Saturday’s breeze was a welcome visitor, but, as it moved through the tree branches, it created a stunning sight that calms the soul: the leaves, swaying in the wind and glimmering in the sun as they move. Just stopping for a moment to watch the leaves dance was a time of precious stillness, and complete peace.

Each effort to improve our local communities contributes to the overall goal: progress as a state, and a country. Every step forward offers inspiration to proceed to the next one.

“This is for anyone who has the faith and the courage to hold onto the goodness in themselves, and to hold onto the goodness in each other, no matter how difficult it is to do that.” — Chloe Zhao, winner of best director at the 2021 Oscars

A more peaceful, harmonious existence is something we can each cultivate. By filling our own hearts with empathy, we inspire others to do the same.

Creative solutions were the highlight of Friday’s state press briefing, as Vermont Education Secretary Dan French emphasized a collaboration between Woodstock Elementary School and Billings Farm & Museum as a way to help students fully return to in-person learning.  

This age is asking us to receive others into a place of compassion, in a way that points us toward innovative solutions. With that work before us, let's not start from a place of limitation. Instead, we can humbly join together and start from a clean slate of possibilities.

Patience helps us maintain a calm, steady focus on the proper path toward the eventual solution, while also keeping discouraging thoughts at bay with poise.

We each have a role to play on this new stage that's being formed.

As Vermont slowly turns the economy back on, the key will be how people respond to recent changes by the state.

Who knows exactly where we’ll end up as a society, but our acts of kindness point us to a better place.

Feeling the embrace of our community reminds us that even though these weeks have felt like months, it will keep getting better.