We wrapped up the year together, my friend and I, with an annual breakfast we have shared with one another for nearly 40 years. We are evidently getting older, because we can indeed add another decade to our memory. This friend and I talk about everything from our families, to personal harmony, to world peace that eventually today turned to the state of our society after such a mind-altering election season. We one day years ago argued Kennedy and Bush on Pike’s Peak in Colorado Springs, that summer afternoon cementing our desire to share each other’s ideals without hesitation.

We both agreed that most of America could together recognize very few of us were happy with the mechanization of this historic political season. When that thought popped into my mind, I was suddenly struck with an idea. 

If we can all agree, maybe that is the start that we need. Is that really the key toward moving from divisive to unified in our society? As I begin to explore this idea, I want to be clear and indicate I will provide no singular individual any credit for making this happen. To be sure, that has to happen amongst ourselves and what better time to start thinking in that realm, than closing a year and beginning anew with promise and resolution.

We complain to one another in the privacy of our homes about the state of things in our society, the racial disparity, the ignorance, the hostility, the discrimination, and yet, we all go out the door to our daily lives forgetful of that stance until later in the safety of our home we can revisit the angst. Perhaps there in lies the opportunity to act.

I think I will choose to go forward in the hope that my actions will create a natural course of response from those around me to recognize the positive nature of being an open-minded contributor to the influences around me. In order to carry out that philosophy I do have realities I must pay attention to. That is, the prospect of raising awareness amongst my peer, my friends and family, colleagues, the people I interact with in passing, can only be as measured as my own ability to respect the opportunity for everyone to feel what they do, without my stepping in to change their thinking.

Perhaps that possibility of a happiness can be found in simple love. I recently told a dear friend of mine that the concept of love covers a lot of ground, and I don’t know if I was really sure what I was trying to say, but today as I write about my end of the year testimonial, I have a glimmer of hope that tells me that love is something we all want, and we need.

So we begin the new year, with a lovely snow outside our window that we can only choose to appreciate or rue. I will choose the former because I love the soft beauty of nature in its ability to give me pause and appreciate the sheer mystique of the world around me. I’ll use that as my peace of mind to enter the holiday season with a smile, and a hope to better the lives of the people around me simply by focusing on what I might give to their world rather than take away.

Yet, I’ll walk with caution, because I know clearly that having a mindset of take can be a very lonely place to be, and I wish only connection with everyone to all of those around us, stranger and friend, family or foe. Perhaps we might imagine a peaceful sunrise to help set the tone on the days ahead. We are in the holiday season, and the notion of give could take precedent. Together my friend and I do look forward to that possibility.