New Thoughts

2014As the end of the year draws to a close and a new year lies before us with all its hope and promise, most of us spend at least a little time being reflective, reverent and contemplative.

With the holiday hangover in full swing, negative thoughts of the ills of the year gone past are quick to emerge. They bring with them dour outlooks and a sense of hopelessness in the face of remembering this same hopeful, promising first day a mere year ago, which went horridly awry. It takes strength to look beyond those things for the bright moments and to look at the less favorable events in a light which can be helpful and hopeful.

Pulling hope out of thin air is not easy; however, if we each look closely enough, we can see the rays of sunshine peeking through.

What is hope anyway?

Many people think hope is one of those emotions only small minds engage. It is an expectant feeling for what one desires. Hope is trust or faith the best result will come to fruition. All alone, hope is not much. A child can hope for a toy store inventory in the closet but will awaken each morning to disappointment. What makes adults different?

Hope is not enough.

More than a few of us would love the ability to use telekinesis to make our dreams come true. Can you imagine dreaming yourself into the most favorable position merely by believing it will happen? Smile, each of us thinks it at one point.

One place where folly appears is in the ingratitude which comes from receiving without earning. When a teenager gets a first car as a gift, rarely is the value of the gift appreciated until after it is in a scrapyard and the teenager must replace it by the sweat of his own brow. Is it any different for adults?

When we examine our desires, we know hope is not enough. Standing in line at the lottery counter we can hope to win. In the end, is the grand prize “earned” for the mere price of the ticket? There are innumerable examples of winners who find out the true cost of the prize only when destitute and friendless.

There is little difference in desiring the corner office. Along with the mahogany and leather furniture comes responsibility, in many cases for the livelihood of others, safety of the public and corporate assets on a far larger scale than the teenager’s car.

Each of us has had an ancestor with the wisdom to tell us Be careful what you wish for because you just might get it. Inevitably, it is a warning the things we desire carry consequences we choose not to see in our blind hope.

Flip it

Buffalo Nickel

What happens when we take the responsibility to hope for things with a purpose? Instead of merely wanting, we take the steps to make our dreams come true. We accept the cost of our desires as fair trade for receiving what we feel we deserve.

We prosper.

Many a bucket list has an adventurous item. Peers often view them with a raised eyebrow and pinched smirk as foolhardy. The retiree who takes skydiving lessons took the time to consider what sacrificing fear means when it ends in accomplishment of something few would choose to do.

It begs the question: Is the skydiver the one with the small mind or the one who judges it foolhardy?

Will you know before you jump from a perfectly good airplane?

Happy New Year.

Red Signature


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Thank you for spending another year with The M3 Blog. It promises to be a year filled with discovery.

Look for the new Flash in the Pan words tomorrow. The new quarter began today.

What do you hope for in 2014?

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10 Comments

  1. Peace on earth and good will toward men.
    Well, it would be nice.

    Reply
  2. You’re right. Hope alone is not enough. It needs a helping hand. This shiny New Year I hope to continue in good health, able to enjoy the fruits of my labours.
    One of these is a grand over-the-top trip I have planned, for which I have waited years.
    Tess Kann recently posted..Memories, Lapses and New DreamsMy Profile

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  3. You’re right Tess (and Red). I’m not all that interested in skydiving or bungee jumping but I’d like to continue this year helping my hopes along.
    Myas recently posted..Exorcising MurphyMy Profile

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  4. In the end, efforts should be aimed towards what’s important.
    It would be nice to make an ungodly amount of money, but I have no interest in working that hard.

    On the other hand, I’ll gladly do without some things to get a stand-up paddleboard.

    And jump out of a plane again.
    El Guapo recently posted..A Very Surfing New YearMy Profile

    Reply
  5. In this new year, I have hopes and challenges. I hope to meet those challenges with courage and humility. I cannot do things which I was accustomed to do in the past and am now almost homebound. This is the challenge which I hope to face with courage and ingenuity to create a full life for myself in spite of my limits.

    A happy new year to all!

    With love to you, Redxoxooxox
    Gail Thornton recently posted..On Being an ArtistMy Profile

    Reply
  6. Life is forever changing.

    Dream as you may, but remember dreams can often become nightmares and what we wish for may not be what we need!

    Live, Love and Be Happy!!! 🙂

    God Bless!

    Prenin.

    P.S: If you try and you do not succeed, then skydiving may not be for you… 😉
    Prenin recently posted..Wednesday – New Year’s Day.My Profile

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  7. Wishing you a wonderful 2014 Red and may you continue to bring us your delights ,,
    Happy New Year

    Sue xox
    Sue Dreamwalker recently posted..Our Vision ~ Our Future ~Lets Be Ready!My Profile

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  8. I am thinking I will avoid jumping from high places, whether I am attached to rubberbands or not. I have always followed Clint Eastwood’s sage advice, who really wants to jump from a perfectly good airplane? Certainly not me.

    This year is serving me a platter of something new, I wasn’t looking for it but I think I was expecting it eventually. I am simply going to learn to shadow box, roll with it and hope for grace.

    Love you my friend.
    Valentine Logar recently posted..Small JoysMy Profile

    Reply
  9. Hi Red,

    Lovely words. Thank you.

    Hope means not looking into the rear view mirror of the past and not being overly concerned with the future but living in the moment.

    One day of hope is better that a lifetime of despair (maybe despair is too strong a word but you get my drift.)

    Happy New Year Red.

    I ended up in the hospital on New Year’s Day. Pneumonia snuck past my compromised immune system. I’m going to become the masked man for the rest of the winter. Hah! I’ll probably write a few blog posts about my adventures.
    John McDevitt recently posted..2013 in reviewMy Profile

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  10. Another year is upon us and with all the good intentions of excelling with yearly resolutions I guess that all we can really do is our best, after all we are only human 🙂 lol

    Happy New Year Red 🙂

    Andro xxxx
    Gray Dawster recently posted..New Themes: Motif and SuitsMy Profile

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