I don’t know anyone who hasn’t had a hard 2025. My own year began with losing my mother, and I’ve seen people I love face their own family losses, illnesses, and un-asked-for life changes. And even when things have gone well personally, there’s been the endurance test of the news, offering enough darkness to cover everything.
The poet Denise Levertov also knew dark times and was a vocal opponent of injustice. She helped found Writers and Artists Protest against the War in Vietnam, and she spent time in jail for civil disobedience. Still, in the poem I shared for the new year, she turned her attention toward hope. May we all do the same.
Wishing you the best for 2026.
“Please take
this grain of a grain of hope
so that mine won’t shrink.”
