On this day of blizzarding snow as I’m steeped in reflections of 2020 and eagerly anticipate changes in 2021, I imagine our fresh white blanketed earth symbolically enveloping us in hope.
Hope manifests in many forms and often is most visceral on the heels of transitions and difficult times. I’m reminded of when, almost four years ago, we had the painful experience of having to put down our family dog, Sophie, which was incredibly difficult to do. She had been a memberof our family for twelve and a half years and was a super-empath, in our home and in our Consilium offices. After Sophie’s death I wasn’t sure if and when I’d have another dog, and truth be told I came to enjoy some of the footloose freedoms one becomes accustomed to when living without a dog. But the pandemic did me in (and it seems I’m not going anywhere fast), so just this week we welcomed a new member to our household and our office staff. She’s small but mighty, passionate and playful, calm and considered, and indisputably adorable: She’s the Notorious RBG (in honor of the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg), and will be known as “Arbie”.
Having only been born this past October 16th, today is her first day seeing snow! (To see photos, follow us on Twitter at @HeidiRWebbEsq ).
We’ve decided that it’s only fitting for her to have a law-based vocabulary so when you meet her, please know that she “goes to her Chambers (not her crate), she’s “dismissed” after sitting and “proceeds” when she walks. Sometimes her Motions are “allowed”, and other times firmly “denied”. At times she dissents, and she often persists. She’s melted our hearts and from time to time she will no doubt be featured in our blogs. We hope you’ll enjoy her as much as we are!
2020 has been a stressful and complicated year, but we are hoping to find more light and cheer in the new year. In the midst of national tragedy, we are seeing the American people becoming more vocal about social injustices which can be addressed for the benefit of all people. And the November election has been an enormous referendum on the corruption in our national leadership, which we hope is now being sensibly re-staffed with public servants whose job-qualifications have more to do with their appointments than their personal friendship with the president.
But unlike our dog, I wasn’t born a scant couple of months ago, and know that just as creating effective family restructurings requires time and thoughtful consideration, this is true on the national scale as well. We need to do the work to make things better for everyone in 2021, not just hope for the best — and I’m confident that as a society we are ready to put in that effort, to lift America back into better times.
We hope you all enjoy the snowfall as it comes down and are ready to deal with the shoveling after the novelty of it wears off. When the blanket of hope melts, underneath will remain our wonderful yet troubled world, the planet we are blessed with the opportunity to help make as good as we possibly can.
Wishing you health, safety and peace in 2021.