I write this on the winter solstice, December 21, 2020, on this darkest, shortest day. This year has been difficult. Nature is gently reminding us that we have much to learn, that we are vulnerable, that we must live in balance with her, and that we must be open to positive change. It hasn’t been easy; This has meant suffering, turmoil, hardship, and questioning for many people around the world.
On the theme of reflections and new beginnings, some time ago, I started doing preliminary work on a new film. I don’t know how it will end up being. I don’t even know if I will have the chance to finish it. But I do know that as I work on these things, when I go into the world, seeking the visions that are questing in my mind, I am given gifts. Sometimes, if I am fortunate, open, and ready, truth and beauty present themselves, and this is what inspires me to continue the work that I feel I am here to do.
A few days ago, before this shortest day of the year, I was filming in the forest, and this lovely scene of mist drifting through the trees unfolded itself, as the waning afternoon sun shone backlit through the trees, at once revealing and concealing this magical ancient and mysterious world to my eyes. The whole scene presented itself quickly, then faded away in a matter of seconds. It was as real as a dream and then it was a memory, perhaps a creation of my imagination. Nature is like that; fleeting, dynamic, and changeable, impermanent and inter-connected in a living web that stretches through who knows how many universes. We don’t know what is coming, and we don’t know where we are going, but with our best intentions, and with the greatest respect in our hearts, we may continue the journey. Adelante, viajero, adelante…
