Nostalgia
Every year, during the last week on the calendar, we are bombarded by programs that remember for us. These programs choose their versions of the highlights within the package of 365 days, coming to a close at week’s end. The shows can be entertaining. They can touch our hearts as we remember those who passed away this year. They can stir our anger and outrage as we relive the images of disasters and scenes of the inhumanity of man to his fellow man. Other snippets can fill us with hope and inspiration when we witness the advances of science and the individuals who raised themselves up despite adversities.
Nostalgia can be a comfortable place. We’ve all been there. We all survived it. We have a specific knowing of how ‘good’ or ‘bad’ those times and events were.
And nostalgia distracts us.
Nostalgia should be used in the same way that drivers use a rear-view-mirror. We look back from time to time to make certain that we are not in any danger. But we can never drive forward by holding on to the rear view mirror.
The real focus that will make the biggest difference for each of us is the road ahead. To achieve control we should keep our hands on the steering wheel.
This week, while the programmers will be attempting to hook us with nostalgia, millions of us will be writing new years resolutions. This can be a good thing. But again, many of the millions who write resolutions will squander the opportunity by writing a list without much self-introspection. A huge percentage of folks will write a resolution about losing weight; these same people will go on to eat and drink to access during the rest of the holiday. Some will write a resolution about being a nicer person in 2010. That sounds nice; but did they every think it through? What specific actions will they do or not do that will measure that they are being nicer?
Right now, 2010 is an unknown. 2010 has the potential to be wonderful or dreadful. We each have the opportunity to contribute our best, be at our worst, or merely sit on the sidelines as an observer.
Scrabble players can just show up and play, like treading water in the ocean, not going anywhere. Scrabble players can learn a few new words each week in order to be more competitive, offering a greater challenge. Scrabble players can become scrabble ambassadors, recruiting new players into the community.
The future can unfold passively, or we can take actions and make a difference.