On this second day of the year I allow myself to breath. I look forward to this new year, I anticipate a great year full of promises. Not that I think it be free from hardship or trouble. Our world faces a great deal of issues that seems to go in the wrong direction. There is war, famine, overuse of resources, climate change, sickness, disease, hatred, fear, worry, anxiety, greed, inequality, injustice, violence… On the other hand, I am certain all of these issues can be dealt with, cured, improved, changed for the better. The human species has the ability to learn, to change, to do the right thing, to step down from selfish greed, to look within and make the right decisions, to do things for a better cause, for a loving cause, for a giving and sharing cause. We have the ability to take responsibility, to grow as persons and make this journey right. We can help each other; we can help ourselves, we can improve our act. We can make a difference, we can grow, both in strength and in gentleness. We can take care of one other and of ourselves and give every new day its rightful charge of good will and openness. Every day is a new opportunity, a new possibility, to get closer to our true inner potential, to our own inner bliss, our own inner loving kindness. And when we do so, we are not only doing it for ourselves, it will reflect in the world around us as well. Let’s challenge ourselves to investigate our motivations, confront our fears, and embrace the unknown. Whether we uncover a grand purpose or simply gain deeper insight into our own existence, we will have embarked on a meaningful journey worth taking. After all, if we do not seek, if we do not boldly move forward, how will we ever know what lies beyond the limits of our current understanding?