- Christopher Reeve
Here are some random reasons, from the trivial to the profound, for feeling hopeful today.
The snow has stayed in Toronto for the school holidays, enough for tobogganing. Yippee!
We currently have women premiers in five Canadian provinces.
The “Idle No More” movement is getting attention.
And on the other side of the world, thousands of Indians are uniting to demand justice for women and girls in their country in the aftermath of a fatal gang rape.
As we face the future, personally and globally, it’s good to read this quote from J.R.R. Tolkien,
“The world is indeed full of peril and in it there are many dark places. But still there is much that is fair. And though in all lands, love is now mingled with grief, it still grows, perhaps, the greater.”
The world, at least my world, is also full of minor frustrations and disappointments, but still there is "much that is fair."
On New Year’s Day my family decided to go out for dinner to celebrate. Sounds elegant, doesn’t it? Ha. To keep the children happy we went to the Swiss Chalet, never a first choice for excellent food but now sunken to an even lower level. Beside its traditional chicken dinners, the menu offered what all “family” restaurants seem to, everything from pizza to stir-fries. This vegetarian dutifully ate a Greek salad and a few greasy chips, while trying to engage the grandchildren and relieve their parents for a few minutes. The restaurant’s one success was its children’s activity book for which all accompanying adults were pathetically grateful.
After the usual to-do of dropped food, changing orders and conversations interrupted by trips to the bathrooms (no soap in the Ladies!), we left the pile of messy serviettes, broken crayons and half eaten meals and trooped outside. Heading for the cars, in the cold night air, I felt grateful for my dear ones, but was trying to banish my discontent. Our short time together had consisted of limited interactions and crummy food at some financial cost.
Just then I heard a cheerful little voice at my knees, “That was fun!” I bent down and kissed her three year old cheek.
Recalculating.
My New Year's resolution is to keep on looking for light every single day.
