I could write a longer, inspiring New Year’s dedication for you. And I have.
But here’s the short version: climate change is upon us. The world is drowning, or on fire, or burning with hate and nationalism.
All that matters is that we vote in 2020. The fate of our planet, and species, and all other species depends on this vote. No pressure (!). Just show up, vote. Get your friends to. Vote truth, and eco-responsibility—vote urgently, and for love. Vote.
It’s been a successful, defeating, boring, sweet, divisive, hateful, planet-ruining, loving year. It’s been a lot of things—as many moments as there are in a day, as many days as there are in a year. It’s been a precious year, and one I’ll miss. But most of all I’ll miss you—those of you rare dear genuine friends who work for the good of this wonderful, crazy, greedy, sweet world. Here’s to 2020!
With love from Boulder, Colorado! May the coming year be one of ease and empathy, equality and celebration, kindness and bravery. Cheers! Auld Lang Syne! Happy New Year! Vote! ~ Waylon
This New Year
forget the to-do list
instead
listen to our own sweet self! So long unheard beneath the constant hurrying, the looking-at-our-phone instead of looking up at the trees, the sunshine, the moment.
Whether lovemaking or baking or arguing or laughing, it is only out of Now that we can help this world.
The only Resolution we need:
to appreciate each moment.
In 2020, let’s
idle your car less
plant bee & butterfly-sustaining plants more
TV (a little) less
express appreciation more
plastic less
tip more
click Amazon less
fight Climate Change more
eat meat less
eat local more
laugh at self more
shop new less
support indie more
accuse less
vote more
multi-task less
Nature more
We can only love this life—and save this world—from out of that little bright feeling of peace we find right here, in our own sillysweet heart.
I have a low bar, and high hopes for this next year: good god it must get a bit better.
2019 was in many was rough: full of invective, trolling, bullying, racism, sexism, nationalism, identity politics, us vs. them-ism, blame, and fear. And yet…thousands of you worked and played every day to create smiles, to create peace, to be thoughtful about the little things, to be truly empathetic (not selfishly so). Thousands of you worked and played and meditated to be of benefit to all those around you. May we find renewed strength to stand up to tyranny and fear-mongering, to distraction and corruption. The world needs us. The world will need you to show up in 2020.
And the good news is that this calling may elicit what easier times did not: the best of what you are, the full you, the kind and fun and caring you. As they say, ships are safe in port, but they are built for the waves, for the storms, for the open sea.
~ with love from all of us at elephant: we would not exist without those of you who subscribe, and read, and share our mindful offerings. Get our best: elephantjournal.com/best (free)
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Take a moment out to cheerfully contemplate your past year, good and bad and hard and sad and sweet. Mwuah!
Cheerful New Year! May we be of real benefit and service in the coming year…with joy and moments of passion and ease!
Take a moment out to cheerfully contemplate your past year, good and bad and hard and sad and sweet. Mwuah!
Since the dawn of civilization, humankind has talked, worried & written about the end of time.
Perhaps our finite selves can’t imagine the infinite. We can’t imagine what happened before the Big Bang any more than we can imagine civilization living far beyond our short, happy lives.
And you can’t blame us: humankind is nuts. Lovers yell at one another. Countries bomb each other. Given we humans’ ever-escalating lust, speed and ignorance—not to mention the nuclear bomb, or Monsanto’s perversion of food health at its roots—it’s hard to imagine that another few generations will survive & thrive in the way our forebears have.
We’re all cynical. Liberals (& scientists) love to talk climate change. Our Gods love to preach about Judgement Day, and the afterlife. Spiritualists loved to sell the Mayan apocalypse.
But the fact is, many societies have managed to conduct their every decision with respect to the next, say, 7 generations. The end doesn’t have to be nigh—if we compost (85% of landfill waste is compostable, & that’s not counting recycling) then we return earth to earth, instead of ashes to ashes; if we participate in the political process, instead of letting too big to fail corporations continue to make the very rich richer & the rest poorer (& less healthy); if we live in a manner that spreads peace & good cheer & honesty instead of a What about Me? mentality, then we’re effectively greasing the wheels of civilization, & the ride can go on.
Soon enough, you & I will die. Nobody gets out of life alive. Everything’s impermanent. The only constant is change (& plastic). But if we can live for others, & die having left our room clean & our country more enlightened, then we can get some satisfaction. We can die happily—in the same way that we celebrate the end of each year with friends and loved ones.
For more: Read “The Buddha’s Four New Year’s Resolutions.”
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