BRINGING LOVE AND LIGHT TO NEW YEAR
ADVENT calendars are in action as the countdown to Christmas Day continues. Households are busy planning shopping lists and thinking about the meals to be served on the big day.
As we start stocking up on the traditional items that signal the festive season and get caught up in the hype and chaos of spending endless hours in the shopping malls finding the ideal gifts for our loved ones, give a thought to those spending Christmas alone and how many children will go without a single gift, meaning a day of loneliness.
The festive season also means many public holidays, with front line and emergency service workers covering long shifts, with the chance of bushfires, floods and cyclones – all placing added pressure on these emergency services who are on call 24 hours each day.
I would like to think as we prepare our shopping lists, that we consider how our giving could be a little different this year. While spending hours baking the perfect Christmas cake, we could consider cooking for the less fortunate and serving the real needs of our community. Perhaps a hot meal could be delivered to our local fire brigade, police stations and other emergency services that keep us safe.
And as we transition from the festive season to the new year, where the priority of time is given to families and friends, it is also a time of reflection and preparation as we say goodbye to another challenging year and look to 2022 with fresh hope.
2021 was a year where Covid forced businesses to experiment while vaccines were rolled out, governments navigated the fiscal and monetary support for their countries, the alarm was raised for climate change with a more concerted effort to cut emissions and above all it showed humanity’s vulnerability.
The new year is about renewal – another chance to forgive, to do more, to give more and to love more. To try to be conscious of every blessing and to consider how we can assist others. To stop worrying about what if and start embracing what would be, an opportunity to start the year with an open-minded approach to all parts of our life – with the hope that our small contribution will align with the rest of the world for positive change. To step into the shoes of others and see life through a different lens.
For me, it will be putting gratitude at the top of my list – for we are truly fortunate to be blessed to live in a great city with a bright future. We should share this gratitude and show generosity to those in need.
From the Voice – sincere thanks to our city’s elected bodies, to our educational institutions, industry workers, health and emergency services, to those who keep our city clean and safe, and to those unique individuals who care every day for those in need – our gratitude to everyone that contributes to this vibrant city with dedication and selfless service. May love and light shine brightly in 2022.