We're heading into summer here in New Zealand which means it's time to jump on board the boat, grab the winch handles, start grinding, and sail to a quiet bay. The America's Cup is scheduled for January and the city of Auckland is humming with ardent yachties from all over the world.

In the spirit of that competition, where every team is striving for excellence, I wish you the best this season can bring to your hearts, homes, and families. 

Christmas is upon us once again, and for those of us who have spent half our lives associating it with midnight Mass and the nativity scene, with a star in the east, a virginal birth, and three wise men, it can feel a bit empty when our Faith is no more. And, there, perhaps lies a little challenge, to find meaning in the Christmas season when many are celebrating the birth of Jesus.

When I need a dose of inspiration outside the Christian perspective, or I want an instant reminder of why I left religion, I have a flick through Twitter. There’s always someone expressing my conscious and unconscious thoughts, clearly and succinctly on #atheist and #Agnostic, and on the other side of the argument, such as #CatholicTwitter, someone expressing my old abandoned beliefs. The conversation keeps me centred on my new path, taking strong determined steps away from blind faith, and not falling back into old modes of thinking because I miss silly connections to the safe and familiar path that Church offered for so many years. Also, I find new writers on Twitter, writers with years of religious study and training, sharing their experiences and learning, and their reasons for their journey away from religion. So, join me on Facebook and Twitter and participate in the conversation too.

As 2020 comes to an end, I hope you find rest from the burdens of the year, from the worry and exhaustion that comes with anxiety, heartache, confusion, division, and Covid-19 lockdowns. And, as the New Year unfolds, I hope you find renewed energy and determination in your quest for a richer, fuller life, and that you remain open-minded to asking new questions and hearing new answers.

Thanks for reading up to here. My next newsletter will be coming to you sometime in the Southern Hemisphere winter.