Perusing Facebook, I had this observation: Mixed in with rippingly painful messages about violence against people, animals and the planet as a whole, political upheaval and general head butting, I am heartened to see words of love, healing, reconciliation, encouragement and great gratitude for blessings, on people’s pages. Yes, those other things are part of our global paradigm and I am just naïve enough to believe that we can change the former with more of the latter.

I consider myself an ‘opti-mystic’ who sees the world through the eyes of magic and wonder and infinite possibility. As a result people, experiences and opportunities come my way that I might have ignored otherwise.

 The Oxford English Dictionary defines optimism as having “hopefulness and confidence about the future or successful outcome of something; a tendency to take a favourable or hopeful view.” The word is originally derived from the Latin optimum, meaning “best.” Unlike optimal thinking . which is realistic in nature, being optimistic, in the typical sense of the word, ultimately means one expects the best possible outcome from any given situation.”

Can we take a stand FOR something and not just against it?  I recall something Mother Teresa was reputed to have said when invited to attend an anti-war rally.  “I was once asked why I don’t participate in anti-war demonstrations. I said that I will never do that, but as soon as you have a pro-peace rally, I’ll be there.”  What would it look like for you to be an even greater force for good in the world? Would you be kinder to yourself and others? Would you take time to listen with open ears, heart and mind?  Would you clean up after yourself literally and symbolically, so that no one else would need to do it for you? When relationships shift, would you ‘leave the campground better than you found it?’  How about transmitting positivity, rather than negativity? What we focus on, we call into our lives in powerful ways; magnetically attracting that which we are. Are you ready to be on the team that will change the world, for good?

Change the World-Eric Clapton

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