Great Spirit of Life, as a new year begins, we turn inward to reflect about the state of our lives:

• What lessons have we learned in the past year and which new ones now call us forward?
• To whom do we still owe an apology or expression of thanks?
• And with whom must we draw fresh boundaries?

As we pause from our regular rhythms of rush-rush-rush, we open ourselves to new perspectives and possibilities. We give thanks for these moments and for the wisdom they afford us. May they help bring us together in the sacred dynamics of life so that we—as individuals and as members of this community—might reach our full potential.

As we step across this threshold, let this new year be a year of greater awe and gratitude,
Of deeper kindness and acceptance, and more courageous acts of conviction.
For a kinder, more equitable and sustainable world is not only possible, she is on her way. And in the quietness of this sacred community, we can ever hear her breathing.

Amen.