The old year passes
Not mourned, but booted out
With steel toed boots if necessary.
And yet, we pause, and reflect
Back on the year-that-was
And we realize our privilege
In being able to take such a pause,
In having the luxury of a full belly
That allows us to reflect on higher
Needs of Maslow’s hierarchy.

Much has happened,
Much over which we will ruminate.
But for now, for tonight, this night,
This eve of what is to come,
We must hold fast to the truths that we’ve come to know:
We are resilient.
We are partnered.
We are stronger together than we are apart.
We are not alone.
Our strength comes from our community.
We are waking up,
And we are seeing the portal through which we can walk.
We refuse to lie down,
We refuse to fall into the hole in front of us.
But we shall transform and come through the portal,
Stronger, more resilient, more woke, and more aware.

Happy New Year!