01/04/2021
Who did not hope for the end of 2020 as a very difficult year while looking forward to the year 2021 with great hope? We hoped that just one day would make all the difference. A change of one day might mean a change in suffering brought on by COVID-19, racial unrest. Suffering we saw and heard constantly while there were still other ways that we have suffered through 2020 that have been placed seemingly on the backburner – less mentioned, but no less real. Or, even the more private suffering endured and unexpressed that no one knows about. We feel it is too shameful to discuss. We can always hope, right? In his great book, You Can't Afford the Luxury of a Negative Thought, Peter McWilliams points out the last evil that left the famed Pandora's Box was Hope. Evil?! What was it that made hope one of the evils? McWilliams points out that the hope that left Pandora's Box may have been simply idle hope. What could possibly make hope evil? McWilliams says that hope that is evil is merely that, only hope in that it does nothing good. He says for it to be good it must be accompanied by action: action such as processing grief, prayer, petition, relationship, learning, understanding, supporting others, accepting support, patience, kindness, and forgiveness to name a few. The really hard work. My Facebook cover photo is a combination of photos that seem to indicate we have a choice of direction that we can take. Begging the question, in which direction will you take action? The center picture is one of questioning, doubt, and wonder about the year 2021, but yet with no evidence. As we hoped 2020 away, we also hope that 2021 would be better. One thing we know about 2021 that we did not know about 2020 is the trouble. And one thing we can do that can accompany our hope is to make a choice in which way we shall go. What path we shall take. What action shall we make? Will we become angry, bitter and hopeless? Will we obsess and become stuck only see the negative that is there? Or shall we see more clearly by seeing also the good that is always with us and always abides? In other words, will move to take a more balanced, positive approach toward the trouble seeing all there is to see, including the good so to do good? So, let's have hope in 2021, but let’s accompany our hope with action. Something that it may not have had in 2020. It is our choice, and it is good.
