In the silence of my office tonight, I light a candle for my meditation. It’s so quiet in this part of the house tonight, when I close my eyes I hear the faint crackling of the candle wick. I feel the wick’s flame is lit inside my chest. . . I went out today, early, there was ice on the pond and the wetlands, but I wanted to run. I felt like running (a very slow run) for the first time in a week as my cold passes. I ran five miles with Suzi, part of the way, then i put her inside to rest and me and Charlie ran the rest of the way. I did not stop for pictures. Today is the last day of November. I talked briefly on the phone to my son and we made a plan, one-on-one, to walk and meditate on his birthday, Thursday. Tonight, and yesterday, I dedicate my meditation to a woman whom I do not know, I only know of her from an article in the Boston Globe––the details of how she was brutally attacked on a morning walk in the woods. I have been thinking with such an aching care and concern for her. I can only imagine sending her care and concern and that’s what I do. The candle, it’s lit for her. I like to imagine she can feel this care and concern somehow; can the light of the candle be communicated somehow? My inbox was swamped with requests today for Giving Tuesday. I made one donation. To Hopeworks of Howard. It’s not a local organization, but it’s one I believe in—their mission.

At HopeWorks our mission is to support and advocate for people in Howard County affected by sexual and intimate partner violence and engage the community in creating the change required for violence prevention.