The radiant gift of goodness
This time of year, we have the opportunity to reflect a bit more on the good we know, and what might come from it. Indeed, there is always a great deal of goodness and love being shared – the key is to keep our eyes more open to these qualities, and know we have them to freely give to others.
Holiday decorations in downtown Woodstock, Vermont. (Gareth Henderson Photo)
Life has a way of reminding us there’s a greater power than us in the world. Even a simple thing, like the morning sun illuminating a snowy field, shows us a radiant, expansive beauty we couldn’t create on our own, but can always experience. It’s part of a goodness, a peace, that is often closer to us than we know. It’s innate to us, and we live in the midst of it.
So often we feel that pull to rush into the holidays, swept up in a world that appears long on strife, but short on hope. But this time of year, we have the opportunity to reflect a bit more on the good we know, and what might come from it. Indeed, there is always a great deal of goodness and love being shared – the key is to keep our eyes more open to these qualities, and know we have them to freely give to others.
There was a heart-warming example recently, of 13 strangers stranded after a canceled flight in Orlando, Florida. Instead of despairing, they opted to rent a van and make the trip to Knoxville, Tennessee, together. As the CNN feature reported, they formed “an impromptu community”, and the results were moving. An aspiring college student, who thought she may miss the chance to visit her dream school in Knoxville, was able to do so.
"I feel like this situation for me specifically kind of restored my trust and humanity a little bit," one passenger told CNN. "There's definitely hope for people — people, they can be good."
Also, here in the Upper Valley, another story touched our hearts. Following the many outages from last weekend’s storm, a Canadian line worker, who was far from home, went to the Wal-Mart in West Lebanon, New Hampshire, to pick up some things. When he was about to pay, he realized that they did not take Apple Pay and needed to go back to his truck to get his wallet. Well, he got back to the register to find that the people in line after him had paid for all his items, showing gratitude for his work in the field.
We can take something meaningful from these stories: that spark of good is always at the ready, wherever our journey takes us. It’s there to touch our lives and remind us how innately good we are. Anything that would turn us inward, is very much like the cloud hiding the sun. The light can’t be stopped from being light; there’s something about our very being that looks out from self, and is ready to help others.
Whatever the situation, we are empowered to rise above any challenges and be a light for hope – even through a simple act of kindness. The more we focus on reflecting goodness and love in our lives, the more we’ll see them in action all around us, too. On days when those qualities seem in short supply, we can pause and know they are still around, still being expressed — and sometimes, they are just around the corner, waiting for us to embrace them. That’s the true spirit of the holidays. It never stops giving. Good is continuous, and it really is the best gift of all.
— Gareth Henderson
The power of brilliant moments
A single ray of sun is powerful enough to illuminate any point of darkness, because it’s never separate from the greater light source.
A scene along River Road in Woodstock, Vt., on Monday afternoon. (Gareth Henderson Photo)
The late afternoon sun is setting a bit earlier these days, reminding me that the first sparkle of light on a sunny day is a precious moment. Many of us miss that first glimmer of brilliance, edging its way over the hills until subtlety gives way to splendor.
That last part, the splendor filling the sky, is what we remember most. But the entire display begins with one ray of light, leading to many. That single ray is powerful enough to illuminate any point of darkness, because it’s never separate from the greater light source.
Stunning, ever-present illumination filled the Ottauquechee River corridor on Monday afternoon, as my wife and I walked the dog along River Road in Woodstock. I felt life coursing through the landscape, from the squirrel scampering up a tree, and the birds soaring over the water, to runner and cyclists enjoying same stretch of road. Plants glimmered in the sun, even in the forest shadows along the road, catching what light they could. We felt the gentle breeze passing by as it moved the plants and tree branches nearby. Reaching a stone wall, the view opened up to a wider scene with the river and surrounding landscape, seamlessly existing together, seasoned partners through decades of changes.
Indeed, though change comes and goes, there still are many expressions of good in the world, like the progress of a river current, or the strength of roots underground giving life a firm foundation. Some of those expressions are seen, others unseen. Some deeds receive public reward, while others quietly move forward outside of the spotlight. We may not always see goodness in its most conspicuous forms, but it is still powerful, persistent, and existing among us. Even its smallest expressions carry profound meaning, though they may struggle sometimes to be noticed. Whatever is happening today, we should remember that even the faintest glimmers of light can grow, top the dark hills, and fill the sky of tomorrow.
— Gareth Henderson