Take these words to heart, and let them be a balm to your soul:

“The world is not as bleak or as vast as we imagine. We are stronger than we think and less alone. Other people are our armor and our barricades. They are our place of safety. Too often, we say, ‘We’re only human,’ as though humanity is a small thing, a frail state, something feeble and constrained. But to be human is to embrace all the power there is. It’s not always easy, but it can be very beautiful. And so we grow, and we nurture. We protect, and we accept. We listen. We witness. We learn, and we love.”

—Words of wisdom from Sister Monica Joan; Call the Midwife, Season 10, Ep. 3

For better or worse, the pandemic has afforded the world time to reassess what it means to be human. It has exposed our frailty, our strength, our fear, and our unbound courage. It has brought grief and sorrow and stripped away the clutter of our lives so we can look inside ourselves to discover what brings us true joy.

When darkness hangs at the edge of our days during the winter solstice, I like to remember this truth: Being human is messy. It is difficult. It is sacred. It is beautiful. Helping to bring new life into the world is not just for midwives. It is a job for all of us.

What can you do today to bring life into the world? Start small. Thank the person who bags your groceries, smile behind the mask you are sick of wearing, tell a stranger they look beautiful, turn off the news, listen to music that feeds your soul, and offer love to the unloved.

May you remember the hope of Christmas and the child who changed the world by being born into it.

Wishing you peace,

🙂 Kristin

Photo by Tim Gouw on Unsplash