All things are possible

I have given much thought to positive thinking lately. I thought about how I believed in the possibility of President Obama when many believed we would never see it in our lifetime. I thought about the growing legions of campaign volunteers who believed in a great man. This positive energy, these positive thoughts, energized a massive movement. This positive movement helped give life to the Obama candidacy. Then, millions of volunteers, voters, and advocates, gave birth to a new era. Keep this positive thinking going and we can accomplish so much more. There is a sense now that anything is possible. Sure, we have an economic bump to surmount, but many did not believe we would be an African American president in our lifetime, but here he is. This is just the beginning of a powerful, optimistic new age.

The Challenge of the Times

If we read the history of our nation, and in particular, the history leading up to the Great Depression, can see how we got in our current econominc mess. In some ways, we are in more treacherous circumstances than when FDR became president during the earlier years of the depression. We are at unfathomable levels of a national deficit, and we are in an opened Pandora's Box of a war, and we may not have as great of an unemployment rate, but we have many people under-employed and making far less than they did several years ago. But, for the most part, the situation is similar to 1929.

But understanding our past, and how things work is part of figuring out how we can get out of this. Fortunately, we have a new leader who is intelligent, and who listens and is mentally agile to keep up with the evolving circumstances. We must do our best to stay positive and give our leaders time to get us out of this great mess. We must also strive to be great citizens and work and live in a cooperative manner. We can turn this around, and we will have to make continued sacrifices, but we can get through this and leave our nation stronger and better through lessons learned. Yes we can.

Blog Letting

I sense my inner blogger is getting restless and wants to come out and write. Random thoughts and ideas swirl around in my head as I go about my daily business, but generally only small bits of them make it to paper.

Paper - now there's a thought. Funny how we can create software to make a screen white and let us type into it, and it becomes our modern day equivalent of paper. I wonder if the next generation will even be able to write beyond their own signature. I know some writers type on old keyboards to get in touch with their inner writer, but to me, it just seems like a lot of extra downed trees. I mean, the written page is a beautiful things, surely as beautiful as a tree, but the piles of paper I would throw in the trash, trying to create a sentence that I'd want to keep, would designate me my own landfill. And for me, I create better digitally. I feel more free putting down the words, when I know I can take them all back with a backspace key, or a "select and cut" command. In fact, I found it difficult to type at all back in the day when the typewriter keys would jam together, and deletion was a major ordeal. Oh, but remembering that is definitely telling my age, unless one just likes to do this "old school" style.

My somewhat random thought for paper today? Change. Since this historical election, it seems so much has changed in the minds and hearts of the masses. It's mostly optimistic, although we are mostly feeling pessimistic about the short-term wellness of the economy. But, besides U.S. policy, both domestic and foreign, the time seems ripe for a change of attitudes and culture. Whereas intellectualism almost became a dirty word, now it is becoming revered again. We wanted brains in our leaders again! Oh my, what else could this lead to? Perhaps, we, as a society will have renewed respect for our educators and scientists? Perhaps, our children will put more posters of Nobel Prize winners on their bedroom walls, rather than pop culture celebrities? Perhaps, more people will chose more worthy idols and role models other than sports and movie stars? Now, we seem to have a sense that anything is possible, so why not this? Something to think about.

Blogging Challenged

I've already come to the realization, that I have been procrastinating writing each day due to the age old fears of not knowing what to write, and not writing well enough, or being worthy of writing. Well, with much intrepidation, I will put words down every day, even if it means I will write about not writing.

Ah, that wasn't so bad, just writing that paragraph got me started. I would write more tonight, but I have to be at work at 6:30 am tomorrow, and I could be at work for up to 12 or more hours tomorrow, so that is my excuse to cut my writing short tonight. But, I knew it would be about creating the habit of writing at first, so here is the start of a new habit. See, that wasn't so bad, was it?

Day 2 of Writing Groove

Today I am just here to write about the fact that it is ok not to have much to say some days. I had a pleasant, but relatively uneventful day, my mind is relaxed, but I am getting tired and I'm going to bed shortly. It's ok not to have something meaningful to say each day. It's just important to keep writing as often as possible.

Writing Groove - Day 1

Some people make New Years resolutions; I'm making a new election resolution. I was so moved by the landslide election of Barack Obama, that felt empowered to reach for my heart's desire. I am going to write. Writing is my passion, but like many who love to write, I just can't seem to put my words down on digital paper very often. As many writers do, I fear failing. I fear failing to be good enough, to be relevant, to be interesting. I fear you won't read me, and if you do, you will scoff at my words. That is why I delicately place these words down while playing it safe. At first, I won't open up too much, I won't take big risks, I won't try too be too witty, too wise, too engaging, or too controversial (that is, unless you don't like my dear President Elect Obama). The hope is that I will get into my "writing groove", find my voice, and grow as a writer through blogging.

So, with renewed inspiration, that anything is possible in this great country. Obstacles can be overcome, people and nations can grow and change, and, if you really believe in something, don't let anyone tell you it can't happen. When I first began to support Obama's candidacy, I was armed with some knowledge through reading his books, with hope, with determination, but I didn't know exactly how it would all come into fruition.

The same goes with my dream of writing. I love to write, I would love to be published, but I don't know exactly what direction my writing will take. I will, however, take the first step, right here, and begin to write.Through consistent writing, I know my voice, my ideas, my skill and my creativity will grow. I will make a sincere effort not to hold back, or to judge myself too harshly. I don't want self-criticism to keep me from moving forward.