My resolve

Ready or not, here we go.
The calendar has flipped,
and we find ourselves
standing exposed at the beginning of the unknown;
standing unsure before something new;
standing vulnerable in uncharted territory.
There is so much to worry about.
There are so many uncertainties.
There are so many what ifs.
Faith,
Hope,
Love
Feel threatened.

But
here and now
today and tomorrow
for the new year
I declare
my resolve...
to believe the best about those around me;
to stand up for the rights of all;
to seek justice for the oppressed;
to own my privilege;
to understand my preconceptions and prejudices;
to work against systems that perpetuate them all;
to call out hatred;
to hold my beliefs with confidence in open hands;
to listen to all perspectives;
to honor the humanity of everyone;
to see beauty in the world;
to learn more about that which feels threatening;
to fight for those who are othered because of
     their gender identity,
     their sex,
     their sexual orientation,
     their religion
     their religious practices,
     their age,
     their weight,
     their country of origin,
     their race,
     their ethnicity,
     their skin tone,
     their ability,
     their social economic status,
to offer grace,
to love no matter what,
to fail at all of the above,
to try again.
Here and now,
today and tomorrow,
I declare
my resolve.