Bring on another year!

Many appear relieved to have 2016 behind us. There has been a lot of focus on the tragedies that shook our morality and sense of security this year. The uncertainty of the geo-political climate and the unpredictability of our own political landscape. Focus on how overwhelming and difficult things have been, are and will be in these trying times. The media, periodicals, blogs, social media our own homes seem to perpetuate the negative story. We are bombarded with this negativity then jump right on to the back of the conga line consumed by it, fueling its propagation. Its crazy!! Case and point, the cashier who helped me at Starbucks the other morning responded when I said Happy New Year that "2017 could not get here fast enough," and that she hoped "it would be better than 2016, it had been a shitty year" her co-worker responded "true that." Happy New Year would have been an ideal reply, I thought. I could not help but wonder that the quality of her year is at least partially up to her, isn't it?
I am not saying that these concerns are not valid, some crazy things have happened. Nor am I waving aside any hardship or loss anyone has suffered this year or ever. It just seems that an inordinate amount of time is being spent on the tragedies and the unpredictability of life and not enough time on right now, the good things.
I believe that adventuring into the unknown is part of every journey. Rolling into a new year is the same thing, you can only deal with what is now, this second, minute, hour, this day. There will be challenges, struggles even tragedies, but to assume that is all that is in store for you is "CRAZY." Its inviting the negative story to seep into and flood your reality. Why do that to yourself? I thought of Vivian Greene's quote:

I prefer to dance in the rain. This is exactly why I love to get outside. To run further than I have run, bike further than I have biked, to test myself, force myself to just worry about the next step, the next hill, the next intersection. To see whats around the corner and beyond. To reach the top of a climb, look out as the horizon unfolds in front of me, endless. Just as the possibilities in front of you. Just as the choices you make. I had some shitty things to deal with in 2016 but man I had some wonderful things happen too. You know what? I think 2017 is going to be AWESOME! Yours will be too!