For many the end of 2010 and the birth of 2011 was a point of greater than normal celebration. The last year has been a troubled and often a confusing time, with some exceptional highs and lows, perhaps 2011 heralds a period of more stability and normality.
South Africa may have celebrated the FIFA circus, otherwise known as the World Cup, but thousands also lost their jobs and homes. The sickly veneer of soccer democracy, that is Sepp Platter’s road show, brought us some light relief and national pride, but like a brightly coloured foil wrapper on a rotten chocolate the show moved on and we were back dealing with the raw daily realities of life.
Our politicians during 2010 have again been exposed as self gratifying career hypocrites, but then so have many of our business types. The truth is that “normal service has been resumed’’ and life in SA is not that much different to any other country in the world, WikiLeaks showed us all that!
So what do you hope for from 2011? Personally, I want a year of relative stability. I don’t want the stock markets or property markets to rocket, I want stability. I don’t want great changes in my family or business life, I want stability. I don’t want American ‘’normalcy’’ I want old fashioned dyed in the wool normality.
Some may desire world peace and love, not me I am a realist. I just want us all to have a fair and dull twelve months of life.
I wish I was someone who could live every day as it was their last, someone who constantly loved unconditionally and by so doing made 2011 and every year their best ever, but I can’t. You see I am just a plain boring human and as such my first wish is that by the year 2020, 2010 is rather forgotten and 2011 leaves a soft and warm feeling at best.
But wait! That smiling and determined inner me is laughing at my attempt to play down the potential of 2011. I am sorry but I have to admit that I have never entered any year of my life without believing that it will be the greatest ever. Normalcy is for nerds and people in their nineties.
We have the ability every day to make a difference to our own lives and those of others around us. Be they family, work colleagues, children, friends, the disadvantaged or anyone we simply meet, we can have a positive or negative effect and that choice is ours alone.
Energy is generated every moment, by everything that we do, so why not give 2011 the benefit of the doubt and give it everything. Together a positive and enthusiastic attitude could just help turn the tide on everything. Just one act of random kindness, one positive thought and a new door may just open for you and or for others.
So 2011, bring it on. I will give it my all and never stop being thankful that I am actually in it, because if you’re not in it, you can’t win it!