Life is the Gift

This month of October has been one of deep inner reflection on the fragility of life. Not sure how to navigate the immense sense of grief and confusion I feel in these times we are all faced with. So much war and destruction, so much loss and pain. Social media has the immediacy of real people sharing their lives. I watched a reel of a young woman in Gaza showing us her street, completely destroyed, with the words “where are we to evacuate to?”  There is such a harrowing pain in my heart witnessing all of this. I don’t consider myself a “political” person and in that very statement I realise the absolute privilege of my life. Turning inward I realise that this is humanity on trial. This moment of collective darkness is where we find our humanity and our capacity to heal. This is where and when we say ENOUGH and NEVER AGAIN.

The lives we are living are transitory and they matter. Until each person awakens to that truth and connects with their inner peace nothing will change.

This day for some cultures is about honouring the ancestors and all who have transitioned. Depending on where you are in the world the  “day of the dead” is celebrated either the 31^st October or the 1^st and 2^nd of November. No matter the date, I feel that it is an important time to acknowledge all who have died at the hands of war and conflict.

Living in Australia everything feels far away and “out there”, however, I feel the grief of all the mothers on all sides of the boarders loosing their children. This for me is the expression of absolute futility. What keeps me going is knowing how precious this life I am living is and that in any moment it can change. Whilst that can feel gloomy, it actually makes me appreciate everything even more and this then keeps the light of hope burning inside of me.

In the hustle and bustle of our daily lives, it’s easy to forget the profound truth that life itself is a gift. The routines and responsibilities, the depressing news of world conflicts and economic pressures can sometimes cloud our perception of this precious existence, leaving us feeling overwhelmed, stressed, and disconnected from our inner joy. Especially when there is collective grief, and so much loss, the beauty of life can feel unreachable, even non-existent. But the beauty of life is that we have the power to reclaim our sense of wonder, gratitude, peace and happiness by recognising that every moment is a gift waiting to be unwrapped.

Trust me, I know how that sounds when there is so much darkness and pain. From my own lived experience of multiple traumas, of war, of destruction, of natural disasters of cancer! The truth that LIFE IS THE GIFT is what keeps me going. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be here writing these words.

Those of us who witness and survive these dark times can keep the flame of this gift of life burning and make choices and show up in such a way that honours the fragility and the beauty of every life.

Consider the vastness of the universe and the intricate chain of events that led to each of our births isn’t this enough to honour the sheer improbability of our existence? And in this moment of reflection lets take a pause and really honour all those who came before us so we could be here. And in that honouring activate the light of love in our hearts that all lives matter and all lineages matter. We owe it to our ancestors to be better and do better.

We live in a time of so much abundance, so much possibility. I call on my ancestors to stand with me in this prayer for the gift of life:

May each child born re-awaken in all humanity the gift of life.

May each woman be honoured in her blood that opens the portal to the gift of life.

May each man carry inner peace to honour the gift of life.

May each being here on Earth see with the eyes of love, the ultimate gift of life.

May we all stand together as a human family and see the miracle of the gift of life.

May we all live this gift of life with hearts full of peace, we are here now and we can begin again.

From my ancestors to yours,

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