The Front Porch of the New Year
Dr. Jerry Taylor
Author
Date
January 1, 2026
Collection:
Dr. Taylor Special Articles Collection
Full Document
Abstract
As we enter 2026, Dr. Jerry Taylor reflects on the increasing fragility of human connections in a narcissistic society characterized by "easy divorces" and "convenient separations". He argues that the modern culture of ghosting and abandonment should serve as a divine reminder that God is the only constant presence beyond our last breath. This piece calls for spiritual resilience, advising believers to release those who leave with respect rather than resentment, and to continue toward their destiny with clear eyes and steady hearts.
The Front Porch of the New Year
As we stand on the front porch of 2026, looking over the horizon, we hear a still small voice affirming, "I am with you!". This conviction is more necessary than ever in a world where it has become remarkably easy for people to "check out" of our lives without prior notification. We live in a society that has become brutal in how it handles relationships, often sending them to a "graveyard of subtle rejection" through the modern practices of ghosting and cancel culture.
Dr. Taylor observes that in an era of convenient separations, many have lost the capacity to retain meaningful relationships. To keep from being overwhelmed by the sorrow of loneliness or abandonment, we must remain mindful that God is with us. In a world increasingly driven by narcissism, we must brace ourselves for jealousy and competition, even from unexpected sources. Every person who exits our lives without ceremony is a divine reminder that, ultimately, God is the only one who stays with us beyond our last breath.
We are encouraged to travel into this new year with realism as our counselor. This means learning to see people as they truly are, rather than how we hoped they might be, and allowing the truth of how they treat us to guide our steps without bitterness or surprise. When others choose to leave quietly, we should release them with respect. Their departure does not diminish our worth or delay our calling; it simply reveals that their destination was too narrow to carry the weight of our destiny.
By blessing those who go, we can move forward with clear eyes and steady hearts. We move on in spiritual syncopation with the One who holds all the living in His hand, trusting in a grace that does not abandon us and a Divine Presence that never lets us go.