In the midst of our winter of discontent, in a time when old verities and truths have been challenged, sullied, and seemingly destroyed or discarded, they are not. They abide. The values and ideals we have long believed in are still there. And as the cascade of authoritarian Bad News washes over us, we see here and there, more lights. More courage. More push-back. More clarity of vision. More sanity.

Is it all the way back? Not even close. The threat and the danger still remain. But like the return of daylight after the winter solstice—at first only a few seconds per day, but increasing through Spring to nearly seven hours here at the cabin-in-the-woods, there is no stopping it. It will come and it is coming. The calling out of lies and intimidation is increasing, not decreasing. Courage is increasing, not decreasing. The naming of stupidity, cruelty, and corruption—from the theft of historic honors to false imprisonment to disastrous interviews to news stories supposedly ‘killed’ that will not die—is increasing, not decreasing.

Examples of understanding, bravery, and light are increasing, not decreasing.

More than 20 centuries ago a baby was born to a teen-age, unwed mother in a poor, backward, s—-hole country in a desperate corner of the world. He never wrote anything down except in the dirt. He never held a high office. During his life he never got his name emblazoned on grand buildings. Thirty-three years after that unassuming birth he was summarily put to death in the most contemptuous, obscene and humiliating way by the powerful politicians and clergy of his day. With no more thought than one would shoot a dog. Or dispatch any prisoner of no account.

And that was it. The light was gone. His truth was gone.

Except it wasn’t. The light went on, growing stronger, not weaker. The name, once spat with contempt, became honored above all in history. The greatest, most beautiful buildings in the world were built to express gratitude and devotion to that name and that life. And uncounted millions of other lives sought to emulate his example.

Now, the forces of ignorance and darkness, seek—among other things—to co-opt, to smear, steal, and sully that name. The same forces and powers that thought they had destroyed the name, the life, and the light 20 centuries ago. We are here, in our small, human lives, with our families, our ideals, and our hearts, to say that will not happen. The light goes on. It is seen in the stars at night, and in the glow from a billion candles and a million windows. And a country that another great man called ‘the last, best, hope of Earth,’ will rediscover its soul.

We must do it on our own. We must fight our own battle. No one is coming to ‘rescue’ us from ourselves, as did the ‘antifa’ armies of WW2 in Europe and Asia. We are a different sort of nation. One built not on ethnicity or race or creed, or even religion—except for the religion of love, tolerance, compassion, and light—whatever form it may take in the human heart. Built instead on an idea. Imperfectly realized but held like a lamp before us to pierce the darkness. That all men and women are created equal, and that they are capable of governing themselves.

The light goes on. It will return. It will increase.

From a little cabin-in-the-woods, Merry Christmas, and every blessing of the season.

(This is my latest Substack post. You can follow/support me there at Notes From The Campfire@douglaswoodauthor)