Hey, will you look at that we made it to July! School is over, Summer is in full swing the 4th of July was a blast hopefully, at least literally.
The first half of the year started out okay, nothing too special, nothing too bad but then it seemingly went downhill. At first, it was the Coronavirus, then, toilet paper and food shortages and then social distancing and now riots all across the country. It sounds like the layout for an intense survival movie or video game. Honestly, that’s what it feels like we have been doing lately. Surviving. Each day is the same as the last or something worse than the day before shows up on the TV. There doesn’t seem to be an end in sight, but I ask that you not lose hope.
Throughout this rollercoaster of a year, we have seen prime examples of what good humanity can do when we come together as one; but by that same token, we have also seen the worst. I am sure many of us have mixed emotions, one minute we smile and have hope for the future, and the next we are left with a sense of disbelief and disappointment.
When I was in middle school the daily announcements would come on over the intercom during Prime Time and every day the counselor ended with this sentence:
“Whether you want a good day or a bad day, the choice is yours.”
At the time, I always thought of it as her signature catchphrase but it’s something that has always stuck with me. We all have a responsibility to take control of our day and making the most and the best out of it. Not just for ourselves but for those around us.
At a time where everything is literally burning around us, we must act as individual beacons of hope for a better tomorrow. You don’t need to join the frontlines of the protests or make a huge donation to a charity to make your impact, sometimes the most memorable acts of kindness are the smallest ones.
It’s now July, and personally, this year feels like it’s inching forward but hey, we made it. We are halfway through the year. Use this time and think of it as a half time show. Recap what happened in the first half, recognize what went wrong, and figure out a positive game plan for the rest of the year.
It only takes the actions of one to motivate the actions of many.
