The planet is fighting hard to stay alive, despite reckless human disregard for its health. We are all taking unprecedented measures to stay healthy ourselves and to keep our loved ones healthy. Many of us are witnessing the impact of the pandemic on our society, the effects of irresponsible and reprehensible government, and are feeling the fragility of our civilization. Things are tottering that we might well have thought were truly too big to fail.

Creation stories are often about the generation of order out of chaos, and here we are watching chaos emerge and engulf the order we knew and relied on (whether we approved of it or not). This liminal moment (scary as hell though it may be) makes  for an amazing opportunity to reflect on what stability each of us offers the world. What do we know confidently about ourselves? For what can we be relied upon by a world looking for glimpses of security? What do we see around us that gives us comfort and confidence while we are buffeted by physical, financial, and political storms? Whether we live another day, another decade, or to 120 years, it is always time to ask ourselves these questions and to articulate the answers. Take a breath, know what matters to you, know how you matter to others, and give thanks for both.