In 2015, my New Year’s Post was about moving forward. I still agree with everything in that post. But this particular moment in history leaves me feeling less optimistic about staying optimistic. It’s not that there’s nothing to celebrate or enjoy. And it’s not for a lack of gratitude that many things have not been as bad as they could have been.
But so many things have been teetering on edge for several years and they don’t seem to be changing or improving. Committees and boards I served on prior to 2020 have evolved from diverse, balanced groups with productive conversations to something with which I no longer feel aligned. I miss the comradery and the feeling we were making a positive difference. Gunfire in my neighborhood has increased. It was already bad. Now it’s worse. Infant mortality has increased in my state. We now have one of the highest rates in the nation. Public education here faces new threats because of underfunded, short-sighted legislation. My state’s supreme court blatantly ignored our constitution in a recent case regarding emergency clause voting procedure.
There have been moves that threatened to destroy a national river I’ve floated all my life, and a legislative session that tried to severely limit the FOIA that allows the citizens to know what our government is up to.
Librarians are being removed and/or threatened with jail for simply shelving books a few find objectionable and book banners are being appointed to library boards.
NONE of these things make for an improved quality of life for me, my friends, neighbors, children, or grandchildren. NONE of these reflect the family values I learned from conservative, church-going parents in the South.
Every week brings another round of news that makes my head want to explode because it exhibits yet again how many nearby have no respect for the law, no respect for common sense, no respect for women, no respect for patients, no respect for anyone who doesn’t look like them, and no respect for ideas that may diverge from a very narrow path. I want to move forward optimistically, but the car keeps running over my foot.
So now I guess it’s time to give myself a pep talk…Maybe in addition to Dry January, we need Contemplative January when we stop filling time our schedules to avoid feeling the weight of what we’re doing to ourselves. We cannot make things better until we are willing to:
See a problem.
We sometimes believe that seeing a problem IS a problem. Denial may make things seem better on the surface, but it’s really a way to keep a person or organization stuck.
State the problem.
Once you see a problem, it may be a process to get the information to those who can facilitate change. That doesn’t mean stating the problem IS the problem although it may feel that way. I watched a person be attacked as being negative in a hospital advisory council meeting when they shared an experience that was problematic and indicated a possible need for policy change. I’m sure it felt to them as though their statement was being perceived as the issue rather than the problem they hoped to address. Even though it may not feel good, and you may feel alone or unsupported, doesn’t mean you’re doing the wrong thing.
Make a plan.
There are many kinds of plans to guide action. They can be broad and flexible. They can be guided by mission. They can be strategic and specific. They can formally recorded or carried in your head, but cooperation from families or groups will require some sort of communication beyond telepathy.
Follow the plan.
All plans are implemented with action. Steady and small, well-prepared and large, private or public, the steps can be made in many ways over many time frames. Action will keep you moving forward.
Obviously, I have no problem stating many problems right now. But rather than lament all of those, I will be better served to find an appropriate outlet that will let me move past seeing the problem to being part of the solution. In fact, that’s the healthiest way to address inevitable challenges.
I also know sorting through the quagmire will require some grit and momentum. And that’s what I hope to do moving forward.
She regrets nothing: A Q&A with fired Saline County librarian Patty Hector
Looking Backward, Moving Forward – in thriver words (cooking2thrive.com)