Learn, live, hope into 2022

Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow ~ Albert Einstein

The end of a year, and the hope contained in tomorrow's new beginnings, is always a good time for looking back. 2021 was, of course, a year of countless deaths and losses. It was the year which saw the creation of the sadly ever-growing Covid Memorial Wall, and in which, through the murder of Sarah Everard, women were forcibly reminded of the fear, harassment and normalisation of incidents which are part of our reality - and especially angered by this. It was also the year in which Afghanistan fell - again - to the Taliban, and too many people remained un-rescued.

It was also the year in which a Guardian journalist, among others, began to notice the friendship, fun and community to be found in "religious Twitter", and in which I was one of several who shared my Of God And Me story, re-membering and recounting God's amazing, extravagant love and grace, even - especially - in times of confusion and pain. It was the year, too, when I injured my dominant, left hand, and discovered how much my far less dexterous right hand was capable of (thankfully, I end the year with my left hand almost back to full strength!)

Covid continues to affect our lives, as does so much despair, anger and darkness (including some irrational, but very forceful, anger about masks and vaccines). It's been good, looking back, to be reminded of so much love, generosity and goodwill, which I am privileged to encounter through my work. Pfizer and Astra-Zeneca are our vaccines against the pandemic; goodness and kindness are our antidote to the anger and encroaching darkness. 

And now we stand on the brink of a new year, with everything it. If you want a patron saint, or even the fun of an inspirational word to take with you into 2022, try this patron saint generator - you could be pleasantly surprised! 

May 2022 be for all of us a year filled with learning, living and hope! And may we all play our part, however small, in making it a kinder, gentler year, bringing ourselves, and our world, closer to God's dream for us...