By Gonny 
From Ruins to a New Foundation
Some days remain engraved in your memory—not just because they were intense, but because they carried a deeper meaning. One such day for me was May 6, 1976, the day of the earthquake in Friuli, Northern Italy. A 6.8-magnitude tremor that completely destroyed Gemona and its surroundings. At the time, I was in Padova, miles away, yet I still remember how we all ran out of our homes. Mother Earth sent a shock that was felt to the core. And as with all earthquakes, there was panic, grief… and then came the rebuilding.
Today, nearly fifty years later, I stood in Gemona once more. What I saw moved me deeply. Everything that had once collapsed had been rebuilt. Not only more beautiful, but stronger, with solid foundations and walls designed to withstand future tremors. A town that had not only regained its appearance but also a new strength.
And that, dear readers, is exactly what we are experiencing on a global scale today: a massive earthquake. Not from shifting tectonic plates this time, but from political, social, and economic upheavals that are shaking everything to its core. The world is trembling—power shifts, wars, crises, leaders rising and falling as if caught in a game of musical chairs (some without a seat, but with a loud voice). And yes, it feels as if the very foundation beneath us is collapsing.
But here’s the beauty of it. Let’s compare it to Gemona: First, the shock, then the chaos, but ultimately—solidarity, cooperation, renewal, and a stronger foundation than ever before.
So yes, it feels like everything is falling apart, but in reality, we are being invited to let go of the old and build something new. Something that will truly stand strong.
Why Does Everything Have to Shake First?
According to A Course in Miracles, what is not love is ultimately not real. And what is not real can disappear. Everything built on fear, control, and manipulation—on unstable ground—must eventually collapse. It may look dramatic, but imagine for a moment that all those old structures that no longer serve us… simply vanish. That together, we can build something far better.
The Great Cleanup
Sometimes, an earthquake is needed to clear away what no longer works. Think of it as a deep cleanse, where everything unnecessary is shaken loose (and some people accidentally fall out of the closet with it). But no matter how painful the first shock is, it brings an opportunity. A chance not to return to old, unstable structures, but to build something new—something founded on love.
This is how we, as humanity, can create a stronger, more conscious world. But this requires courage. The courage not to cling to yesterday’s ruins but to trust in what we can create together.
So if you look around and think, what a mess, know this: this is the transition. This is the shock needed to wake us up. A new world is emerging, one where we will look back and say: Yes, that was intense, but look at what we have built together—with love.
With light and love,
G.