Beginning Again!

The calendar turns again. A new 12 months, 52 weeks, 365 days, or 8760 hours lie before us to shape as we will. It may seem, after the preceding year, that we have little to do with shaping our days, but of course you know I am going to tell you that we do!

One of the things that last year should have taught us is that we need to pay more particular attention to the details of our lives rather than leaving them to others and trusting they will take care of us. The immense financial melt down, egregious scandals and evidence of corporate and personal greed have battered not only the nation, but each of us individually. The top one percent of those who hold 80-95% of the nation’s wealth may be just fine. The rest of us have probably taken significant hits to our financial well-being. I don’t need to recount the details here. I can’t imagine you are not fully aware of how you have been affected.

I think it may be that we discovered how bad things were because more of us than ever before in history DID begin to take charge of our decisions. I believe we did this because we finally saw a LEADER emerging who declared he was willing to lead if we would all agree to do our part. President elect, Barack Obama, has demonstrated how he will lead by demonstrating his strong sense of self-confidence. He reached out to surround himself with the most qualified persons he could find who will challenge him to think and act courageously in bringing about the change he promised.

Now comes our part in the process. Beyond communicating our ideas (he says he will encourage the millions of folks on his campaign email list to share their concerns and suggestions with him) we must recognize our need to maintain a positive outlook. It is time to do more than simply think positive. It is time to act.

An email I received the other day included an article by Clarissa Pinkola Estes, Ph.D, Author of the best seller, Women Who Run with the Wolves. Part of what she had to say is:

Ours is not the task of fixing the entire world all at once, but of
stretching out to mend the part of the world that is within our reach. Any small, calm thing that one soul can do to help another soul, to assist some portion of this poor suffering world, will help immensely. It is not given to us to know which acts or by whom, will cause the critical mass to tip toward an enduring good. What is needed for dramatic change is an accumulation of acts, adding, adding to, adding more, continuing. We know that it does not take everyone on Earth to bring justice and peace, but only a small, determined group who will not give up during the first, second, or hundredth gale.

Ms. Estes recognizes that we get depressed and discouraged, but urges us to not faint in our effort to be part of the positive change that we will accomplish together. Any effort we individually make will make a difference. No act is insignificant, because none of us is insignificant. Take a deep breath and acknowledge that in a spirit of joy and certainty you act not alone! Hold to the vision of possibility. Keep on keeping on!