" There, peeping among the cloud-wrack above a dark tor high up in the mountains,
Sam saw a white star twinkle for awhile.
The beauty of it smote his heart,
as he looked up out of the forsaken land,
and hope returned to him.
For like a shaft, clear and cold, the thought pierced him
that in the end the Shadow was only a small and passing thing:
there was light and high beauty
for ever beyond its reach."
{The Return of the King : Tolkien}
Despite the topsy-turvy,
unsettled year this has been.
despite the worry,
the times of feeling a weight
heavier than I've ever known,
the beauty of nature and stories
anchored my heart,
settled hope in my soul.
in the end, it's only a passing thing,
with light and beauty within its reach.
Many wishes for a happy new year my friends.
May this upcoming year fill your life with light and beauty.
(and copious cups of tea and many good books!)