On and off over the last couple of
years, I have written an article around New Years Day setting my intentions for
the next year. I try to look at the
social, economic, political, and/or spiritual place that we are in and then try
to identify what it is that we need to fix, heal, resolve, inspire, or change
things for the better. Some years,
I did not write about it, but quietly shared the idea with friends who might
help me pray or set the intentions for the coming year. For 2004, I wrote �?/FONT>Another Trip Around the Sun.�?SPAN> In 2005, I asked close friends to pray
for the media to start doing their job and to again begin reporting the news and
to not simply report what the corporations that own the media tell them to
report. And in 2006, I asked that
“truth�?be told, accepted, and/or faced.
We needed to see the truth, admit the truth, and deal with the
truth. For 2007, I wrote �?/FONT>The
Dawning�?and for 2009, �?/FONT>The Age of Reason.�?SPAN> And so it is that this year, I find
myself wondering�?what now?<o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>
What now, that we have a new
administration coming into office?
What now, that a new generation is beginning to voice its desire to be
taken seriously? What now, that our
economy is in a downward spiral?
What now, that the Baby Boomers are facing retirement while their savings
has been wiped out or maybe they never got around to really saving
anything? What now, that there is
no way that Social Security is going to cover all of their needs and allow those
of us post-Boomers a decent share of our incomes? What now, that scientists are telling us
the environment is deteriorating faster than they expected? What now, that the Middle East is in an
uproar, again. What now, when there
is so much work to be done and most of us feel pretty beat up, tired, disgusted,
and overwhelmed?<o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>
Earplugs and Resolve. Yes, that is what I will pray for this
year. <o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>
Give us earplugs so that we do not
have to listen to the whiners complain about how bad things have gotten. Many of us saw it coming and were
ignored.
<o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>
Give us earplugs so we do not have to
listen to people whine about how an atmosphere of brotherhood and caring about
others is somehow a hellish road to socialism and communistic slavery. <o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>
Give us earplugs so we do not have to
hear young people who have been spoiled by well-meaning parents whine about how
hard it is to actually work and contribute to society. <o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>
Give us earplugs as those who think
that Obama’s election day will magically fix everything; come to realize that he
meant it when he said he did not have all of the answers but that TOGETHER we
can change the world.
<o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>
Give us earplugs as the greedy come
to realize that they will indeed be paying their fair share and yes, that means
more than a lot of people who were previously disadvantaged during those years
when they enjoyed deregulation.
<o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>
Give us earplugs so we do not have to
listen to all of those “I told you so�?statements that will come. <o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>
And resolve. Give us the resolve to continue facing
reality.
<o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>
Give us the resolve to keep our sense
of brotherhood even when our brothers and sisters are whining and
complaining.
<o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>
Give us resolve to keep working even
when we are tired and progress seems so slow. <o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>
Give us the resolve to accept change,
even when we are uncomfortable with the idea. Give us the resolve to continually
monitor our definition of “change�?and make sure that is still moving us in the
right direction.<o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>
Give us the resolve to put our
long-term future first and to not go back to settling for short-term pleasures
instead.
<o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>
Give us the resolve to be willing to
listen to differing points of view but to also make sure that when we get our
turn to speak, that we offer more than complaints and
judgments.<o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>
Give us the resolve to create new
options, new choices, new opportunities, new outlooks, and new ways of solving
problems. And give us the resolve
NOT to repeat old ways that no longer work, even if they used to work just
fine.<o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>
I don’t want
to hear the liars, the cheats, the greedy, or the false promises. I don’t want to hear about how the
little guy has to give and give and give in the name of patriotism and the
leaders don’t even have to follow the rules.
<o:p></o:p>
I don’t want to hear that there are
no repercussions for bad behaviors and no rewards for good
deeds.<o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>
I don’t want to hear our children
being told that we did not do what was needed to ensure their world was a good
place, because we were more into taking safe tiny steps than taking risks, being
brave, and putting future generations�?ahead of our own small and fearful
hearts.<o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>
I don’t want to hear about how
“someday�?we will get around to “doing the right
thing.�?lt;o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>
I don’t want to hear people calling
me naïve just because I still believe in the American Dream and that ‘united we
stand and divided we fall.�?lt;o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>
I do not want to give up, quit,
postpone, or reschedule the part of rebuilding our country that is mine to
do.<o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>
I want the resolve to make sure that
in 2009, I contribute something to this world that in some way helps to heal,
inspire, change, fix, or mend that which is warn out, broken, misunderstood, or
under appreciated.<o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>
Like the rest of this “movement�?that
has grown over the last few years, I will be there, with my sleeves rolled up
and working hard to make a difference.
I will help to clean up and brighten my little corner of the
world.<o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>
Just give me earplugs and resolve.
<o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>
Copyright 2008, Skye Thomas, Tomorrow’s
Edge<o:p></o:p>
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