2020 was a horrible year and not just because of Covid. It started out as a hell year and finished up as one - both for personal reasons and for the reasons we all experienced throughout the year.

One of things I have abhorred - truly - has been the conflict between believers over Covid, Trump, Biden, masks, race - you name it.

I got a really beautiful, leather-bound set of Tolkien's writings over the holidays. It's been several years since I read The Lord of the Rings, so I picked up the first volume of the trilogy. I'm near the end of The Fellowship of the Ring right now.  In the book, a squabble ensues between elves, hobbits, dwarves and men. In the midst of their argument, one of the elves makes an observation that cut me like a knife when I considered its application to the contentious year just passed.

"In  nothing is the power of the Dark Lord more clearly shown than in the estrangement that divides all those who still oppose him."

We're going to need each other before this is over. And this world is not our home.

Just sayin'.