Moving forward
What a very dramatic end to 2004 we had - Asian tsunami, fires in Argentina and in the Philippines, car bombings, vehicular accidents, etc. - both natural and man-caused disasters. Lives lost and lives drastically changed. More bad news than anyone can and should normally handle.
But nothing as disastrous as the Asian tsunami. However, there was a lot of goodness seen in the aftermath. People reached out to help and continue to do so. And there'll be a lot of help still needed in the near and not-so-distant future for the survivors, whose lives and communities have been shattered, figuratively and literally. But I have faith in humanity. I know that there will always be someone, somewhere willing and able to help. The world is no longer that huge. It has gotten smaller, and not only because of the internet and other technology. We are all members of one human race. And what happened elsewhere can and may happen here.
That recent catastrophe also reminded me that we all have to be ready to leave this life, regardless of our religious affiliation. It was the same message I saw last week on a church's outside signage, which is changed weekly. I've been told that same thing a lot of times since I was a child, mostly from my religion class. But I never really understood what it meant then.
Now, it makes a lot of sense. Not that I've not been a good person. But rather, that I can and should be a better one. A better parent, spouse or partner, brother or sister, cousin, uncle or aunt, friend, manager or worker, co-worker, neighbor, team member, citizen, etc. Or maybe I can get rid of a bad habit. Or I can start on or complete that project. And so on and on. Just like a New Year's Resolution List.
Well, let's take one step at a time. Back to basics - courtesy, listening more (talking less) and being more sensitive to others' feelings, being more considerate, meeting commitments. It's not hard but it might not be that easy. But it'll be worth it.
Not only because what goes around, comes around. But because whatever talents we have, we should share with others, as much as we could. We're all part of one big community of people. And we don't need another major catastrophe to keep us going.
Hence, we should move forward - as quickly as we could and inspite of what has been and is.
So let me know how you want to move forward.
BTW, it's interesting that the new year is welcomed on three different days by different groups. The first is on January 1st, based on the Gregorian calendar; the second is on January 14th, based on the Julian calendar; and the third is on February 9th, based on the Chinese calendar. Are there any more ? Well, as it is, we have three chances to move forward. Let's not waste any of these chances. (It's like having 2 Mulligans in golf. I usually need at least one on my best golfing day. But that'll be covered in another posting.)
But nothing as disastrous as the Asian tsunami. However, there was a lot of goodness seen in the aftermath. People reached out to help and continue to do so. And there'll be a lot of help still needed in the near and not-so-distant future for the survivors, whose lives and communities have been shattered, figuratively and literally. But I have faith in humanity. I know that there will always be someone, somewhere willing and able to help. The world is no longer that huge. It has gotten smaller, and not only because of the internet and other technology. We are all members of one human race. And what happened elsewhere can and may happen here.
That recent catastrophe also reminded me that we all have to be ready to leave this life, regardless of our religious affiliation. It was the same message I saw last week on a church's outside signage, which is changed weekly. I've been told that same thing a lot of times since I was a child, mostly from my religion class. But I never really understood what it meant then.
Now, it makes a lot of sense. Not that I've not been a good person. But rather, that I can and should be a better one. A better parent, spouse or partner, brother or sister, cousin, uncle or aunt, friend, manager or worker, co-worker, neighbor, team member, citizen, etc. Or maybe I can get rid of a bad habit. Or I can start on or complete that project. And so on and on. Just like a New Year's Resolution List.
Well, let's take one step at a time. Back to basics - courtesy, listening more (talking less) and being more sensitive to others' feelings, being more considerate, meeting commitments. It's not hard but it might not be that easy. But it'll be worth it.
Not only because what goes around, comes around. But because whatever talents we have, we should share with others, as much as we could. We're all part of one big community of people. And we don't need another major catastrophe to keep us going.
Hence, we should move forward - as quickly as we could and inspite of what has been and is.
So let me know how you want to move forward.
BTW, it's interesting that the new year is welcomed on three different days by different groups. The first is on January 1st, based on the Gregorian calendar; the second is on January 14th, based on the Julian calendar; and the third is on February 9th, based on the Chinese calendar. Are there any more ? Well, as it is, we have three chances to move forward. Let's not waste any of these chances. (It's like having 2 Mulligans in golf. I usually need at least one on my best golfing day. But that'll be covered in another posting.)
posted by A widow's son at 16:05
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