Look for the signs

 Philippians 4:8-9

Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.

How easy it is to be miserable

To see all that is wrong in the world

To fret and despair

And so be blind to the little signs of goodness

and the simple acts of kindness 

that present themselves in myriad ways

and hint at the presence of love.

How easy it is to retreat

fearing that we will be contaminated

by the bleakness of the world around

and so miss out

on the signs of courage and persistence

that make a difference and signal hope

that love will win out

How easy it is to expect the worst

and to find it

when we might instead be bearers of light 

that doesn’t dispel the darkness

but that makes the work of finding a way through

a communal endeavour

Look for the signs

of kindness, love, courage, hope and light

that together make way for peace