As a child, I was fascinated by stories from the ancient Indian epics, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, in which the heroes always defeated evil. Over the years, these complex texts became my companions through many of life’s ethical conundrums.

Almost every culture, tradition or religion will have epic texts that help provide moral clarity in times of utter confusion. So this year, I started a new series called ancient texts as a way to bring to our readers lessons from different traditions and parts of the world.

Scholars distilled wisdom from older books with thoughtful articles on friendships, diversity, hope, endurance and, above all, our common humanity. My own favorite, edited by my colleague Molly Jackson, was the one on humanity’s quest for a better self, taken from the classic Chinese novel, ‘Journey to the West.’

Readers’ comments and engagement showed that many found this series meaningful. Also, stories of hope – such as one on the resilience of the historic city of Antakya following the devastating earthquake in southern Turkey – resonated with readers. On another note, readers appreciated an article on the history of Hamas and its unpopularity among Gazans.

I know this year has been full of turmoil – but we can continue to try to show the light, even as we tell the stories of the darkness. Looking at the brokenness of the world, it’s been important to me to recall songwriter Leonard Cohen’s words: “There is a crack, a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in.” May you find the light. Wishing you a year of joy – and hope.