Change, hopes, and beyond the pale shattering dreams

Doesn't it seem like an hour ago we were marveling at the triple zeros on the calendar and rejoicing at new millennium, albeit, just a tad early as the new century didn't officially start until 2001?  But hey, what's 365 days among friends. 

It was an exciting time and you were hard pressed to find a lack of jubilant celebration in optimistic hopes for the pending new millennium and the wondrous changes we waited to behold with baited excitement in anticipation for what lie ahead.

Six hundred and twenty days later we learned a frightening and dream shattering reality as the towering fellowship, hopes, and optimism we all shared came crashing to earth in a tangled heap.

We woke up many mornings after those terrifying and uncertain days wondering what was next? Where do we go from here? How do we go from here?! Where was the protection we sought? Where was the leadership we needed? 

The memories and feelings from that terrifying September morning have faded as we all moved on with life - something we always have to do. We remember, but we go on with our daily routines - with our daily life. The fears and uncertainty subsided, little by little each day.

Yet today, just 10 years into the new millennium, we have a vast new array of fears and uncertainty gripping us. We seem to have escaped total global financial meltdown but each day we see the casualties of the economic abyss and awake to a new day's news of chaos spewed about in streets of all countries, and the all too real shattered American Dreams of the huddled masses left dangling with the only hope that their fingernails hold out for just a short while more.

We don't seem to believe in ourselves any more. Were is the leadership we need today!?

January 20, 2009 a new president took office amidst these troubled times. All presidents have had their challenges to meet in the past and they met those challenges head on. 

My natural optimistic persona makes me believe this new president can do the same. Though today I profess that that optimism is mixed and I wonder out loud with doubts and with incredulous anger at the treason bordering actions of many political, business, social, and religious "leaders" who seem hell-bent on preventing leadership to take hold be it from any corner unless it supports 100% their idealism and self-abrasive and egotistical notion of what is good and just.

Still, I have hope.

It is my hope that the new president turns out to be the greatest president we ever had - better than Washington, Lincoln, Roosevelt (both Teddy and Franklin), Reagan, and all others. I pray for that to happen. Think about it for a moment. If this new president does turn out to be the greatest we ever had, how can that possible hurt us? How would that possibly hurt the world? Would we not also be greater? Would there not be fewer world problems and troubles? Would we not be a great people!?

I still hold on to my hope and dream. I still pray for the new president to be the greatest we ever had. And, more important, I pray for the crushing of the passivity and for the rejuvenation of that human spirit and dream that once made the huddle masses not just chase their dreams, but to build new ones for those that followed them could build upon. It is that that makes me positive and optimistic about the future of our dreams and that we can do anything! We just have to start walking confidently towards our dreams.  

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January is the get ready month. There are not too many things to celebrate, but we do have a reason or two for a party. It is Celebrate Life Month (think of the alternatives), Financial Wellness Month (now, is that timing or what), Hobby Month, and hot tea, egg, meat, soup, and oatmeal month. Benjamin Franklin was born 204 years ago on the 17th, you get to give hugs to everyone on the 21st, appreciate dragons on the 16th, squirrels on the 21st, and blame someone else on the 13th, and have fun at work on the 28th.

It is also March of Dimes Birth Defects Prevention Month and National Mentoring Month. Be sure you read, "Who Packed Your Parachute". The link is on my home page. And of course, you can see the whole list of what to celebrate at Timely Tie-Ins.

 JEB