Year in Perspective

Open letter to friends and family:

I just heard from the fourth friend saying they hope 2010 is a better year than 2009 and thank God ’09 is finally over.

At first I agreed, but when I stopped to think it over, I kicked myself in the ass for being so unappreciative, and even greedy. Sure, most of us took a “hit” in ’08-’09 but was this a real hit-like no home, no food, no medical assistance, no medications, lost jobs, and total, I said total, loss of everything? I don’t think so, even by an inch. I sort of remember having all the doomsday conversations over cappuccino and excellent food at Jeannine’s, or at the dining table of some of you friends.

I ask that we all stop for another second and see where we stand and with what, and look at the world around us. We don’t even have to look into the dead eyes of African children to find the other side. The number of Americans living in households “that lacked consistent access to adequate food” rose to 49 million this year, according to a recent New York Times article.

I love all of you and I am writing this if for no other reason than to provide a moment of perspective. It is not from economic woes we suffer, it’s from spiritual understanding of what is truly important. The economic downturn was just an opportunity to vent on something tangible and not some mystical “What’s it all about, Alfie?”

Turn and ask yourself: What can happen that will give me the satisfaction I seek? Look past the material and into the deeper world of consciousness and spirit. Make yourself happy and you have a chance of changing the world. May 2010 be just perfect to you no matter how it turns out on the surface. – Bernard Sandler