As we approach the last week of 2010 I think a lot about the state of our world. With 2011 bearing down next Shabbat I remember we have completed the first decade of the 21st century. WHEW! What a whirlwind. We ushered in the year 2000 with worries about Y2K computer glitches and worries that our world would crash around us. People stayed up and watched around the world for massive grid failures.
Our worlds did crash in this first decade but not in the ways we imagined that last week of 1999.
With the election turmoil of George Bush, the horrors of 9/11, the Wars of Iraq and Afghanistan, Katrina, the economic recession and depression and slow painful recovery without jobs, I would say that here in the U.S. our world did crash. Just not in ways we thought in 1999.
In other parts of the world different kinds of devastation: Earthquakes in Haiti,Tsunamis, Oil Spills, genocide in Congo and Darfur, continuing wars in Israel and Gaza, pirates in Somalia, tension between North and South Korea, the increasing belligerence of Iran, financial meltdowns in Iceland, Greece and Ireland, coup d’état in Thailand in 2006 and later in Nepal. There is devastation that is human made to our environment world wide.
This comes under the mantle of be careful what you put out into the universe. Did the fears we had and the frenzy of worry that we all exuded about the world crashing at the turn of the century add to our world crashing this decade and being turned over on its head?
Outlook matters. The approach we take. In this week of preparations for the New Year and in making resolutions think carefully about the changes and growth you see for yourself in the New Year and for our world. Be positive. Resolute and make an affirmation for yourself and our world of goodness, peace, health, and balance.
Happy planning for 2011.