Kids are designed for renaissance. We see the spirit in them trying to emerge as they explore who they are and begin to be formed into who they will one day become. But in an unsafe and insecure environment where abuse or neglect happens regularly, the next generation of renaissance bearers are formed into the villains of tomorrow. But when people of hope and goodwill rise up out of their complacency and develop soil rich with truth-telling and graciousness, the heroes that are raised up become mighty in the land.

The seasons speak to us. Each year as winter fades away, dead things grow again. That means I can grow again. That means that just because my creative spirit has been cold and frozen in the past, and it's felt impossible to flourish, that season can come to an end and new life can grow. An ancient one once spoke of "beauty from the ashes" and "joy from the mourning"... There's hope in every winter of the spring coming

This deception in our consciousness seems to come in the moments of choice between settling for the status quo of the empire or choosing to revolt and release the renaissance in your spirit requiring sacrifice and discomfort. In this moment there's a false deity attempting to gain your allegiance and its name is comfort... It's comfortable not to do things that matter that could shake up the foundations of societies norms and bring an earthquake of retribution from those who use their power to oppress and neutralize your renaissance potential.

MLK said only love can overcome hate the way only light can overcome darkness... but is that true. Do we really believe that, or is that just another meme we scroll past with a nod as we continue our search for something that gives meaning to us.

The post-pandemic fog is beginning to clear and we are seeing hopeful beauty emerge from the chaos of the last two years... the human spirit of renaissance wired into our hardware may catch a cold, but in the rest and healing it comes back stronger, immune to the chaos and confusion of society's viruses...