Today we have a new president, Barack Obama. The world already feels different. After 8 years of hubris, we have humility. After 8 years of fear-mongering, we have hope. There is a sense that the world is moving toward a better place, a place of peace and joy and justice. As President Obama said in his inaugural address, "What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them — that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply."
Many of us are grateful for this shift and eager to see its results. A friend was talking with us the other day about how wonderful it would be if the media started to headline and focus the majority of their attention on stories of hope, stories of success, and stories that illicit gratitude and happiness from people. At the time it was an interesting idea but viewed somewhat cynically, as it seemed so far-fetched.
However, I've been giving that some thought. Maybe if as individuals we each focused on and decided that this is possible - that we can work and play and love and live productive lives without focusing on ideas and stories that are driven by fear, sensationalism, and negativity - we could each start demonstrating it little by little and make the change from the ground up. I've never been much of a believer in "trickle down" effectiveness so I think this is a good place to start. As part of my community service, I intend to focus on positive actions, ideas and stories coming out of our community. I will share these with others. And, I will energize myself by passing on information and stories that focus on hope and virtue, leaving behind those that are negative and propagate fear. It's an exciting idea, easier said than done, but I think well worth the effort.
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