Among the words she wished to impart, Rowling reminded her audience that, “If you aren’t where you want to be, either literally or figuratively, remember that extraordinary transformations are possible. Everything changes, nothing is forever.”
And as we finish out 2016 with a whimper and head into the new year, it’s important to take those words to heart. 2017 will be hard. So will 2018, 2019, 2020, etc. We’re moving into a scary world, and that’s not meant to be me being a catastrophist or a misanthrope. It’s the truth; the future is, like always, uncertain.
Next year will be hard. The next four years will be hard. The next ten years will be hard. Our country is fraught with tension and our world is fraught with conflict. But remember that not everything is dark. That there is love in the world, people doing good in the world. Not everything is lost, because if there is one person who actively does good, then goodness flourishes everywhere.
So in the advent of the new year, I remind everyone to keep love in their lives. Live it with your family, whether that be biologically, amassed, adopted or chosen. Live it with your professional life, and try to make a difference. Live it in your head, by practicing self-care and love.
The world might be dark right now, but that’s not our future. Because we can make it not our future. So that’s my Christmas/New Year’s wish. That we remember that we can turn on the light, and we can choose to see the good while still fighting against the bad. Reinvigorate yourself this holiday season. Reaffirm what you want your goals to be.
Nothing is ever lost completely.
