As another year rolls towards its conclusion, the human instinct is to look around, reflect and take stock. Where am I now? Where am I heading? What progress have I made?
Throughout 2024, world events have dominated the newsreels with devastation, extreme weather and ongoing conflict. It’s easy to feel a little lost in the magnitude of it all. It’s overwhelming at times, and difficult to process at others. But amid it all, someone somewhere helped a child back up when they fell today. Someone somewhere offered a hug to console a friend who needed one. Someone somewhere picked up a dropped wallet and returned it safely to its owner, someone smiled at a stranger, someone saved a life.
Realistically, we can’t control events much beyond our own arm-reach and influence, and that can feel like we can’t make a real difference when we take everything into account. So don’t take everything into account. Influence what you can as positively as you may. Reach out your arms far and wide and embrace those near you with the courage to be kind, a limitless well of hope and the indisputable knowledge that everything you do impacts and influences the waters of the world in some way, be that a ripple or a tidal wave.
As the year ends and the possibilities of a new one sit just on the horizon: proceed with hope, courage, and kindness – that powerful trio will steer you on the right course.
