Hopes for 2022

This little list of hopes was born about a day after the previous post. I often make lists for myself (thank you Apple for making that so easy), and sometimes I share them. I shared this elsewhere but felt like it should be here as well. Thinking of something I forgot? Let me know!

1. I hope we make the leap towards seeing people as unique and complex individuals, instead of Liberals or Conservatives, men or women, Blacks or Whites, homosexual or heterosexual.

2. I hope someone has the good sense to make those loud mufflers illegal. The world is noisy enough, as it is.

3. I hope people begin to value their money again instead of letting slick marketing manipulate them into paying more for junk than it’s worth.

4. I hope people make a conscious choice to consider that maybe they don’t know all there is to know. Maybe, just maybe, a willingness to challenge their long-held beliefs will result in adaptability and growth rather than stagnation and extinction. I mean, who wants to be a fossil?

5. I hope we all start to realize that happy is now.

6. I hope we begin to spend 10 minutes of each school day teaching America’s children how to regulate their autonomic nervous system because, currently, we live in a country where a popular reaction to anger or frustration is to shoot someone.

7. I hope we find our way back to children enjoying sports and other activities for fun, instead of as a competitive side gig. And I hope that leads to more kids trying different stuff instead of gunning for a shoe deal before they’re 12. Damn, y’all, just play and laugh.

8. I hope people gain a better understanding of what an incredible, powerful, miracle their brain is and stop assaulting it with substances. Instead, discover it’s full potential. You are so much smarter than you may think.

9. I hope everyone makes time for live music/dance, art exhibits, theater, reading, long walks, hikes, sunrises and sunsets. The arts and nature give us everything that is truly beautiful and soul-stirring.

10. I hope you remember to tell your friends and family how they’ve impacted your life while they’re still around to hear it.

11. I hope each and every one of you realizes that you and your value in this world are so much greater than the sum of your mistakes.

12. I hope someone comes up with a calorie-less tortilla chip and calorie-burning cosmopolitan.13. I hope everyone considers that once we’re dead and gone, all that remains of us on this earth are the actions that we took. This year, find a way to leave your positive mark on the world.

14. I hope you love. With love comes joy, heartbreak, compassion, excitement, desire, compromise and sacrifice. Love is what makes life beautiful and meaningful. It drives back the darkness.

15. I hope people stop driving like selfish, reckless, jackasses. The goal is to arrive without killing anyone, least of all yourself.

May you approach the coming 365 days with a good support system, peace in your heart, and a calm soul that allows you to embrace whatever lies ahead.

Cheers

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