Thursday, January 3, 2013

NEW YEARS REVOLUTIONS!


Well here we are. Post Mayan apocalypse, survived Christmas, and lived to tell about New Years! The days are whipping by faster than a Japanese bullet train on an oil slick. I tell people, if the next three months pass as fast as the last three months did, it will be spring before you know it. To those of you who know me, you know that I hate winter. Everything about it, except maybe hockey but we don't even have that this year! I hate the snow I hate the cold, I hate the ice on my windscreen, I hate how long it takes for my car to warm up. I hate bundling up like the the kid in Christmas Story, I hate the slush and salt and most of all idiot drivers that don't know how to drive in the snow! Whew! Now that that is out of the way, let me wish you all a very Happy and prosperous New Year.

I had a rough 2012. Yes it had its moments of joy and jubilation but for the majority of the 365, it was pretty darn crappy. So it is with great anticipation, I look to 2013 with hope. Hope that I have sloughed off the dead skin of the past year and moved to a new chapter in my life. This I wish for you as well.

I tell my kids that no matter how bad things get, tomorrow always comes and gives you a fresh chance to make it better than yesterday. I do believe that. Even in the darkest moments of 2012, I knew it was only a matter of time that things would even out. The storm would pass and the waters of my mind would calm once again. Smooth sailing would be in the future, and an even keel would soon follow.

And here we are, 2013. Sure there is a lot of crap in the news, but there always has been. And as a race, we have endured it, survived it and come through it. There are always going to be bad things happening and there is nothing we can do about it other than trying to counter balance it with good. So good things, daily. Do them without the prospect of reward. Do good and nice things for strangers. It isn't hard. Check the internet for random acts of kindness. Read the articles and notice how you feel as you read. It is truly remarkable. I try to do as many nice things as I can for the sake of my fellow man. I do not look for rewards for my endeavours. As a matter of fact, when people say 'I owe you' I tell them, 'no! Just do something nice for some one else. That is your payback, your thanks to me.' Paying forward with a twist. Just imagine if every one did that. Just be nice. Help out another human being with no expectations, just help some one who needs a hand. Hell just be civil and kind! These things are free! They cost you nothing yet enrich your life. And for Pete's Sake, don't do it to illicit Karma. That in itself is greed and Karma will have nothing to do with you. Kindness is a selfless act on the most human level. It is giving of your heart and soul and ultimately a display that changes people... giver and receiver. Sure it sounds mushy and soft and in this cold calloused world we live in, it sounds so wimpy that people just shrug it off. Too bad. too bad that the bad guys are winning and we sit back like the kids in the school yard and watch the bullies do their thing. People sit back and throw their hands up in defeat and say there is nothing I can do to help the situation. Personally I think that is so lame and defeatist and generally pathetic. 'A thousand mile journey starts with one step.' states the ancient proverb. One step. One tiny little step in the other direction. You take that step, I take that step and soon enough you have half the world walking in a direction further from the ugly and bitter hatred that has metastasized and poisoned our planet. Look what is happening to the Buddist Monks? If you allow these peaceful people to be rough housed you might as well allow people to kick puppies and kittens! Can we not see that the way the world works is the way we direct it? Let it ride wild and it will become wild. And seeing as it was once wild and we had worked so hard to tame it, it would be a sin to let it slip backwards once again.

 I have taken off a wild tangent once again, but I am not going to delete this text for the sake of miscalculating my point.

Yes it was a rough year, but I had run across far too many people who did show kindness and assistance when it was apparent to me that there was no such commodity in the world. Not just one person, many. Many of them gave a moment, a word a subtle nudge. Some pushed hard, some gave much and none sought recompense. They held me, grabbed me and turned me around in the direction away from where the news would have you believe we are headed.

We are brothers. We are many. We are good people and I believe that we have all have had just about enough of the bullies in the world and it is time we change the environment.

Do something good for someone and take a step in a new direction.

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