What was good about 2016? There must be something.
Feeling down and discouraged, I desperately wanted to find something good about 2016.
I’m jumping on an overcrowded bandwagon here, but I’ve experienced the turmoil just like everyone else. Couldn’t declare this the worst year ever. I’m sure there are more troubled times in history to look back on, but I needed to find something good about 2016. It doesn’t help that there are so many ways to be easily informed of every single thing that goes wrong in the world, and the media does love to gravitate to the most horrific.
I don’t mean to play down the terrible things that happened this year either. People lost loved ones, terrorists attacked innocents all over the world, disease and natural disasters took their toll, and the United States experienced its worst presidential election ever. But I got so down about this year recently, I set myself the task of finding something good about 2016.
Something good on the Internet?
A quick search of the internet yielded quite a list of both the worst and the best things about it. I found every prominent historical event for the whole year at onthisday.com, Historical Events in 2016 ( http://bit.ly/2iAWlKX ).
But, I discovered most of the searches seemed to focus on the good things. They actually wiped out the Ebola virus in West Africa, world hunger reached its lowest level in 25 years, and malaria deaths declined worldwide by 60% according to Quartz’s article The 99 Best Things that Happened in 2016, (http://bit.ly/2id3wbr). It’s a good article if, like me, you need a boost to get you through the year’s end.
Oh, and they also claim the ozone hole is closing. Really! They say it decreased by more than 3.9 square kilometers since 2006. I got really excited about this one till I found out that’s only about 1.5 square miles–but, hey, it’s shrinking. And they say it should be completely closed by 2050. The Sydney Morning Herald confirmed it in their article Antarctic Ozone Hole has Finally Started to Heal http://bit.ly/2hlijMN).
PBS Newshour online at http://to.pbs.org/2hhtIgz, reported in 13 Undeniably Good Things that Happened in 2016, that teen birth rates are down, the Americas are measles free, and the unemployment rate in the U.S. is at its lowest since before the recession among other positive news bites.
While all of these articles make points I can argue with–the bad side of the good things–and some so-called good things that maybe not everyone thinks are so good, after reading all this, I’ve decided to say goodbye to 2016 humbly.
I’ve learned something good this year at least.
I’ve learned a lot this year, a lot about writing and publishing, a lot about my new job in Chiropractic, a lot about compassion and humility, and a lot about forgiving myself for the things even God doesn’t hold against me.
My first book is published. I’m working on the sequel and will have it out in 2017. I’ve got a job, and home, and a loving family. Can’t say I have any unmet needs. I’m in the best place to wish the world well and to do what I can to make it a better place for others. And I want to start the new year the way I’m ending the old one. With gratefulness, courage and hope!
I wish the same for all of you. Happy New Year!
Thanks for spreading some good news! May your 2017 be brilliant indeed!
Thanks Demi. Yours too!