Ultimately there is light and love and intelligence in this universe. And we are it, we carry that within us, and this is what we are trying to reconnect with, our original light and love and intelligence, which is who we are, so do not get so distracted by all this other stuff, really remember what we are here on this planet for.
~Tenzin Palmo, author, teacher, and one of the first westerners to be ordained as a nun in the Tibetan tradition
Light and Love are two powerful symbols of this season of Hanukkah, Christmas, and Kwanzaa. In this time of disconnection, light and love are also the most important ingredients for gratefulness.
Like many families this year, Jim and I will be spending Christmas without our children and extended family for the first time. While I am unhappy about it, I am grateful that we were all together for Thanksgiving, and knock wood, no one became ill with COVID after traveling to Chestertown. That said, traveling anywhere during COVID is not fun, and probably not smart, so I completely understand everyone’s decisions. I am sure we will be on Facetime a lot!
To enjoy this holiday season, without the love of family present in our home, we are filling the house with light. Well, sort of. Don’t judge, but we decided against a Christmas tree this year for a lot of reasons. What we miss the most, however, is not the large fir tree sitting in the middle of the family room dropping needles everywhere, but the bright, colorful lights. (Yes, I also miss the nostalgia created by opening the box of long time family ornaments, many handmade, and some with photographs, but that is another story.) It is the Christmas lights filling our house at night that warms our hearts and brings us joy. So, we have decorated inside with a lot of lights. It is very festive when the sun goes down in our cozy cottage and the lights click on. Like an old and dear friend, I am grateful for their comfort.
I have also realized this year in particular that we do carry light and love within us all year long. You can see it in the eyes of essential workers like the front line health care community, grocery store employees, and, especially, in our teachers, and those who support teaching and learning, at Kent School. As we embark upon our 14th week of in-person instruction on our beautiful riverside campus, our final week before a well-deserved winter break, I am so grateful and proud of what we have accomplished for our students. We are the light, the love and the intelligence for the Kent School universe.
May Light, Love and Gratefulness fill your holiday season and the New Year.
That's Another Story 
Wonderful piece!
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Wonderful piece!
Helps others feel comfortable with necessary changes.
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Thank you, Kay!
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