December 2025 | Choosing Love

In recent days, many of us have felt a deep heaviness settle in our bodies and hearts.

The attack at Bondi Beach, Australia was not just an act of violence - it was an assault on safety, belonging, and humanity itself. I want to begin by paying my respects to the Jewish community who were directly impacted, and to all those who are carrying grief, fear, or shock in the aftermath. No community should ever have to bear the weight of hatred directed at who they are.

I also want to acknowledge, with profound gratitude, the extraordinary courage of the man who intervened - Ahmed al-Ahmed placed himself in harm’s way to stop further loss of life. Acts like this remind us that even in moments of darkness, bravery, instinctive compassion, and selflessness still exist. Thank Goodness.

When events like this occur, fear tries to tighten its grip. It encourages us to retreat, to harden, to disconnect. But history - and our ancestors - teach us something else: that love, connection, and meaning are what carry us forward.

This is a moment to look up.

To the skies.
To the stars that guided those who came before us.
To the stories whispered through generations that remind us who we are when we choose humanity over hate.

Across cultures, traditions, and beliefs, people have always turned upward in times of uncertainty - seeking guidance, grounding, and perspective. Whilst we may want for answers that are neat or convenient, but instead we receive reminders that we are part of something far greater than any single moment of violence.

As we approach the threshold of 2026, this feels especially important.

(Re)connection matters right now.
With loved ones.
With community.
With ourselves.

If there is one thing I hope we take from this moment, it is this: pause. Reach out. Hold one another a little closer.

Hug your loved ones.
Tell them how much they mean to you - not later, not someday, but now.
Check in on the people who feel shaken, isolated, or unseen.
Create space for conversation, grief, and hope to exist side by side.

And when fear tries to speak loudly, choose instead to listen for love - it is quieter, but far more powerful.

When stepping together into 2026, may we do so grounded in connection, guided by meaning, and anchored in the understanding that our greatest strength has always been - and will always be - each other.

With love and solidarity,
Lisa