{"id":1030,"date":"2021-01-09T09:25:04","date_gmt":"2021-01-09T14:25:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/?p=1030"},"modified":"2021-01-09T10:32:39","modified_gmt":"2021-01-09T15:32:39","slug":"edition-9-a-time-for-restoration-an-invitation-to-reconcile","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/edition-9-a-time-for-restoration-an-invitation-to-reconcile\/","title":{"rendered":"Edition #9 <br> A Time for Restoration, An Invitation to Reconcile"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"1030\" class=\"elementor elementor-1030\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-24f2a4fe elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"24f2a4fe\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-696ea2dc\" data-id=\"696ea2dc\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6f5dacc9 elementor-widget elementor-widget-theme-post-featured-image elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"6f5dacc9\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"theme-post-featured-image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"819\" src=\"https:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/wp-content\/uploads\/6H7A3675-web-1024x819.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-1032\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/wp-content\/uploads\/6H7A3675-web-1024x819.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/wp-content\/uploads\/6H7A3675-web-300x240.jpg 300w, https:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/wp-content\/uploads\/6H7A3675-web-768x614.jpg 768w, https:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/wp-content\/uploads\/6H7A3675-web.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d2044e6 elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"d2044e6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1c6c0670 elementor-widget elementor-widget-theme-post-title elementor-page-title elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"1c6c0670\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"theme-post-title.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Edition #9 <br> A Time for Restoration, An Invitation to Reconcile<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-759a248a elementor-align-center elementor-mobile-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-post-info\" data-id=\"759a248a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"post-info.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"elementor-inline-items elementor-icon-list-items elementor-post-info\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item elementor-repeater-item-8d55559 elementor-inline-item\" itemprop=\"datePublished\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text elementor-post-info__item elementor-post-info__item--type-date\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<time>09\/01\/2021<\/time>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-34c1dc05 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"34c1dc05\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tI hope you are doing good, my precious friends, that you have been able to get some physical and emotional rest over the holidays, that you had the blessing to share significant and inspiring moments with your loved ones regardless of the distressing state of the world we have to compose with, which self-destructive cynicism is getting more and more difficult to understand as we try to remain unaffected by its despairing fatalism. This is a daily struggle we all have to face, a ground stand we all have to hold on to, even when we feel helpless and desperate, even when optimism seems to be a laughable make-believe compared to the bad news we are constantly exposed to. When we feel so fragile and unequipped to take more of that darkness any longer, it\u2019s quite challenging to smile, let alone laugh. It\u2019s hard to believe that whispers can be heard through the continual loud noises presently going on. Loneliness, whatever its form, has never felt as unbearably cruel as it does now. Darkened ideas have never been that persistent. The unthinkable solutions have never been that enduringly insistent. And what was a fierce resistance against discouragement and hopelessness had never felt so easily etiolated\u2026 But still, here we are, feeding, if only a little, our faith in better tomorrows, believing, for whatever reasons we may have, that it is worth to keep on fighting. Alive, maybe against the most negative odds there are.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-618df4e2 elementor-blockquote--skin-quotation elementor-widget elementor-widget-blockquote\" data-id=\"618df4e2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"blockquote.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<blockquote class=\"elementor-blockquote\">\n\t\t\t<p class=\"elementor-blockquote__content\">\n\t\t\t\tHonesty is not as ruthless as illusions can be. It hurts, but it leads to forgiveness and pardon...\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/blockquote>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3427f304 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"3427f304\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>I\u2019ve lost many friends over the years. Some of them are an email away from rekindling, others have reached the point of no return\u2026 If there\u2019s something I learned in 2020, it\u2019s the fact that even the worst damage is never permanent &#8211; until it is impossible to restore what\u2019s forever gone. I felt incredibly fortunate that we\u2019ve been able to share so many different moments in 2020. It offered me some insightful perspectives on the significance of relationships, while also revealing how important my friends and loved ones are to me, and how blessed I am to have them in my life. They\u2019re all a refuge in their own way, a vivid demonstration of how priceless a simple moment may be, a reminder that amongst all things in life, a welcoming embrace has the incredible ability to heal several emotional wounds, even the oldest and the deepest ones. Until time brutally stops our motion and allows us to evaluate or reevaluate our destination, as much as the path we are on. Honesty is not as ruthless as illusions can be. It hurts, but it leads to forgiveness and pardon, which are not only healing but have the ability to transform us into the individuals we might have lost faith we\u2019d ever become or never thought it was self-beneficial to be\u2026 Until it\u2019s not only about you no more.<\/p>\n\n<p>Therefore, 2020 has been that graceful to me. I had the wonderful opportunity to meet so many of you on the road and online. I could personally and collectively share all sorts of profound and emancipative emotions, be a part of the impactful resilience you showed me you had while you kept on confessing the \u201clight\u201d I couldn\u2019t even see or perceive for my own life. I saw what looked like permanently fractured relationships be completely renewed. I managed my anxieties as I always have. I fought my darknesses the same way I\u2019ll always have to do it. But if 2019 was a year of renaissance for me, 2020 has been one of restoration, with my family, my friends, my creative vision, my collaborators, and most of all, with who I am deep inside. After a lifelong resistance to expose myself and to reject any form of emotional intimacy, this year had me open up a little, not only through the security of my different creative endeavors, but in what I call \u201cthe real life\u201d. Anyone who has ever experienced depression and desperation knows how disorienting living in bright lights is after having learned to maneuver in the bleakness of our own make-believe. It seems impossible to trust the essence of what our eyes can see after having spent time in the dark, no matter how long it\u2019s been, no matter how joyful we might have become since then. Restoration is not a miracle pill. For some, it\u2019s a process. For me, it\u2019s a gift I offer myself as much as others\u2026 at least that\u2019s what I decide to make out of it.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-11266519 elementor-blockquote--skin-quotation elementor-widget elementor-widget-blockquote\" data-id=\"11266519\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"blockquote.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<blockquote class=\"elementor-blockquote\">\n\t\t\t<p class=\"elementor-blockquote__content\">\n\t\t\t\tIt\u2019s a naive world view on my part, but that\u2019s my personal commitment for 2021, even as wishful of a thinking it might be or as a fool\u2019s errand it might sound.\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/blockquote>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-42ba175c elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"42ba175c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>And then, I was suddenly hit by this solitary reality of my own as I horrifyingly looked at the US Capitol being raided, a very gloomy representation of how divided The United States of America is, of just how easy abdication sarcasm can turn into outrageous violence. It was a display of human nature in its rawest forms, along with a very pessimistic view of the world\u2019s future. And we are only 6 days into 2021. Restoration is clearly not a miracle pill\u2026 But as Leonard Cohen so magnificently expresses in his song \u201cAnthem\u201d featured on his 1992 album titled The Future:<\/p>\n\n<p>Ring the bells that still can ring<br>\nForget your perfect offering<br>\nThere is a crack, a crack in everything<br>\nThat\u2019s how the light gets in<\/p>\n\n<p>Ain\u2019t that right? The world, just as every single one of us defining its complexity, tends to deny the sole existence of any possible crack in its system to keep covering the reality of its own failures. And just like Cohen\u2019s words so perfectly embody the power of one\u2019s limitations, I believe it\u2019s only through the acknowledgment of those universal cracks that light can expose everybody\u2019s need for restoration. As simple as it may look, it\u2019s that restoration that will lead us to realize that, besides all of our differences and divisional wounds, it\u2019s a forgiving reconciliation that will open all shutters wide, for everyone. Again, it\u2019s a naive world view on my part, but that\u2019s my personal commitment for 2021, even as wishful of a thinking it might be or as a fool\u2019s errand it might sound. I know just how much I need to welcome the light you showed me all over 2020 by being so open with me, and your trust in me is what led the way into being willing to trust again, to invite you in rather than only keep on greeting you at my doorstep, to receive what is given, no matter how confusing and scary it is for me to feel loved. I could learn how to love in return as well, in all sorts of personal and collective ways.<\/p>\n\n<p>I don\u2019t know what 2021 has in store for me nor any of you, my dear friends. I don\u2019t have much answers, if any. But one thing is for sure: I know there\u2019s no better place for me to be than amongst all of you, whatever it means, whatever the way, shape, or form it will take. I may be broken, but I\u2019m not beyond repair, I know\u2026 So let\u2019s invite light in and discover all the pieces of wonders we might have forsaken in our dark moments of doubts, desperation, or self-blinded ambitions.<\/p>\n\n<p>Much love,<br>\nStanding under bright lights<\/p>\n\n<p>Alex<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-344175b6 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"344175b6\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-55fa38b8\" data-id=\"55fa38b8\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-576e761e elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"576e761e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-428b46a2 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"428b46a2\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-34d8ef8c\" data-id=\"34d8ef8c\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5da73b53 elementor-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-global elementor-global-153 elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"5da73b53\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-xl\" href=\"https:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/ask-a-question\/\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">Ask a Question<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I hope you are doing good, my precious friends, that you have been able to get some physical and emotional &#8230; <\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more-container\"><a title=\"Edition #9  A Time for Restoration, An Invitation to Reconcile\" class=\"read-more button\" href=\"https:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/edition-9-a-time-for-restoration-an-invitation-to-reconcile\/#more-1030\">Read more<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Edition #9 <br \/> A Time for Restoration, An Invitation to Reconcile<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":1032,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1030","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-from-a-stranger-to-another","generate-columns","tablet-grid-50","mobile-grid-100","grid-parent","grid-50","no-featured-image-padding"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1030","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1030"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1030\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1032"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1030"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1030"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alexhenryfoster.com\/journal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1030"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}