Happy New Year. Peace to the Placemakers

First, a hearty Thank You to everyone who's visited The Topophilian in 2013.

Second, best wishes to all for a happy, healthy, and roundly prosperous 2014.

I would resolve to post to The Topophilian more regularly, like weekly or something, but that would be one more broken resolution broken to be sure. I am resolving to finish a Ph.D. and find a meaningful new job, however. I hope that's enough for one year.

There are many, many "place" happenings across the globe and across the street. From the global to the hyper-local. local people are working to create special places. These are the Placemakers.

It is a parent and child turning soil in a corner of the yard for an herb garden and reflecting pool. It is a few unelected community leaders working to develop safe public gathering spaces. It is renewal in the face of urban blight, community garden plots or a farmer's market in was once a vacant lot. Somewhere there is a group of neighbors are talking about how walking and biking and gathering with friends in the neighborhood was once a norm rather than an oddity. They are working to make it happen again.

People all over the world are working to create safe, resilient, meaningful places. My hope is that everyone reading this can join the placemakers among them and work to move their community along a trajectory of inclusion, safety, harmony with nature, and true community.

Happy New Year and Peace to the Placemakers.