The Renaissance Within
One Candle at a time
Overlooking Florence from Piazzale Michelangelo
“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”
Edmund Burke
Alongside all the noise, there’s a quiet hum beneath the surface. It’s not a revolution in the streets, but something more personal. More intimate. A kind of inner revival. A personal renaissance.
Not the grand kind we read about in history books, but the kind that rises when everything outside us feels uncertain. The kind we build with steady hands, daily rituals, honest words, and a held belief that even now—especially now—we can still create something that lasts.
What Happened to the Safety Net?
“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”
George Santayana
There was a time we believed the world had our backs. Those institutions, though imperfect, were at least built on genuine care, stability, and some sense that truth mattered.
The safety net was invisible, but it felt real.
Lately, that trust has worn thin.
Too many cracks.
Too much noise.
Too many headlines that feel like a punch in the gut.
And so we ask:
Where do we turn when the systems we were taught to rely on begin to fray—or worse, vanish completely?
The Truth Feels Tainted—Now What?
“In times of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act.”
George Orwell
The truth is complicated these days—not because it doesn’t exist—but because it’s often twisted, filtered, or used as a weapon.
We’re told that taking the middle ground is weak, that if we aren’t shouting, we must not care. But I don’t believe that.
I believe stillness can be resistance.
Creativity can be courage.
And choosing to build something true, quietly and consistently, is its own kind of revolution.
No White Horse, No Empire
My own renaissance didn’t ride in on a white horse. It didn’t show up in a ballot box or my inbox.
It arrived slowly, in the form of small routines that ground me, conversations that matter, a deeper connection to my beliefs and those around me, and a refusal to be pulled into false extremes.
It’s not about choosing sides.
It’s about choosing sense. Common sense.
And choosing to be human when so much around us feels inhumane.
One Candle at a Time
Let the Light Shine
“Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened.”
Buddha
Here’s what I keep picturing: one candle lit in a dark room, quietly passed from hand to hand. Soon, the entire room is brighter, and nothing has to be set on fire.
That’s how this moment feels.
We should reach out for the candle, steady the flame, and pass it on to the next person—whatever it takes to keep the light alive when things seem to be getting darker.
The world doesn’t need louder voices right now. It needs brighter ones—reassuring voices that remind us we’re not alone in the dark.
History Isn’t Just a Story—It’s a Signal
“History doesn’t repeat itself, but it often rhymes.”
Mark Twain
Look back and you’ll see the clues:
The Renaissance turned people inward in search of deeper meaning.
The Great Depression developed endurance through uncertainty.
World War II transformed the globe into a neighborhood.
The Apollo program reminded us to dream big—together.
And even the turbulence of the 1960s left behind an echo of unity over division.
History shows us what’s possible.
But only if we’re paying attention.
What’s Your Role in All This?
“Do not wait for leaders; do it alone, person to person.”
Mother Teresa
If this is as pivotal a moment in history as we’re being told—and it sure feels like one—then your role isn’t small.
Maybe your job isn’t to save the world. But perhaps it is to steady your corner of it. To build your own safety net—one made not of policy or platforms, but of compassion, curiosity, and personal truth.
To be the person who listens a little more deeply. Creates a little more bravely. Stands a little more solidly—even in uncertainty.
Because if the net that once held us from above is no longer there -
Then it’s time to weave one from within.
And maybe, just maybe, that’s where the real renaissance begins.
Talk soon…
G