Finding Hope in the New Year

“Go home, 2016 – you’re drunk.” I love reading The Skimm every morning. They do a great job of reporting what’s happening in the world in a relevant and entertaining way. That was a quote from a few months ago, I’ve held on to – funny, because it’s true.

2016 is indeed finished and we can thank God for that because quite honestly, I’m not sure we could take much more. What an insanely F-d up year this has been. I have lamented on what to write to you over the past 48 hours. I’ve written and re-written countless material both on my computer and in my journals. The ideas were decent, but somehow, they weren’t quite right. When something is right, I can feel it – there is a place inside of me that comes into alignment when I get the words out and in the right order on the page.

So, as I sat down for the 10th time to write this, I closed my eyes and tried to uncover what it was that was supposed to happen – and then I found it. Hope.

I am steadfastly, and sometimes insanely hopeful. My glass is half-full, my gaze intently locked on the bright side. I believe there is good in all situations and in all people. Only sometimes it takes a toothpick and flashlight to dig through and find it.

@@Hope is the life force essential to human existence. We need to know there will be a tomorrow and that tomorrow might look better than today.@@ Otherwise, why even bother? In this way, hope is the ultimate display of faith.

But sometimes tomorrow doesn’t come as soon as we thought. Our futures seem uncertain.

We lose hope.

And @@when we’ve lost all hope, we’ve lost. Period.@@

The way to find hope again is through acceptance. Accepting that circumstances are what they are – and the people who surround those circumstances are who they are. Accepting that you cannot change much of these things; but you can change yourself and your attitude toward these things. You can also change what and how much you allow into your life.  

In other words, there is still hope. Always – there is still hope.

I want to be filled with hope – for the future; for 2017 and beyond.

Here is my hope for you (and for me) in 2017

May your today be better than your yesterday; and your tomorrow better than you could ever imagine.

May each day greet you with peace; not because you are the peace keeper, but the peace maker. Even if this is only within your own heart.

May you find joy; and never allow anyone to steal it from you - for many will try.

May you deal with what’s hurting you swiftly and easily. Allowing the pain to make you stronger, kinder, more brave, and more loving.

May you live your truth proudly and with passion.

For there is no shame here. Just love. Only love.

May your 2017 be filled with all the good things – especially hope.

Here’s to making it great.