By Lisa Dove, guest post
Oh, the oft-times elusive New Year’s Resolution. I don’t believe in them, at all. With eight children I knew better. Was I to expect myself to cook healthier meals and match socks from the massive bucket at the same time? In my young motherhood, I would’ve been setting myself up for certain failure.
Citing the online Statistic Brain Research Institution, I discovered a powerful statistic regarding resolutions. According to experts, 42.4% of people never succeed and fail their resolution each year. Resolutions? No. But, I do have a hope-filled, worldwide suggestion.
The year 2017 has been wrapped into a nice and tidy bow. Within the past year, most of us have experienced both the bitter and the sweet. But, now it’s a new year, and it’s abundant with possibilities. Begin with a goal that could affect more than just your tiny corner of the world.
This year, I am setting a goal that charges my spirit with hope. What I have in mind is not a “Monday-Wednesday-Friday” type of goal. It isn’t something ridiculous such as running a marathon without training. I’m speaking of a goal that can be worked on at any time and on any day. You”ll never have to make another resolution again, just keep this goal on repeat.
Unfortunately, the past year was awash in the most bitter kinds of inhumanity. Brutality, terrorism, civil unrest, corruption, war, and even natural disasters are a part of daily life. The world seems cold, cruel and void of compassion. How often do you see “The Golden Rule” in action: love thy neighbor as thyself?
This is simple: make a goal meant to uplift humankind. Unrest in our world would virtually end with the smallest acts of kindness. For instance, just smiling more often, would expand happiness one hundred fold.
Russell Ballard, author, church leader, and public speaker, delivered a speech in which he talked about the wonder of bees:
“Honeybees are driven to pollinate, gather nectar, and condense the nectar into honey. It is their magnificent obsession imprinted into their genetic makeup by our Creator. It is estimated that to produce just one pound of honey, the average hive of 20,000-60,000 bees must collectively visit millions of flowers. Over its short lifetime of just a few weeks to four months, a single honeybee’s contribution of honey to its hive is a mere one-twelfth of one teaspoon.
“Though seemingly insignificant, each bee’s one-twelfth of a teaspoon of honey is vital to the hive. Work that would be overwhelming for a few bees becomes lighter because all the bees faithfully do their part.”
This story provides a delightful analogy. Humans are similar to honeybees in that we should be driven with love and purpose to produce a sweet end-result. That drive to be a vital, positive part of mankind is within us. Our world is a hive of diverse people, millions of people, that are needed to work simultaneously towards a common goal. The “nectar” in this analogy, is generated from respect, from working and living side-by-side in harmony, and from brotherly love.
You can exercise this new goal at any time, in any place. It’s impossible to calculate the cumulative effort of goodwill that would come about from a simple, united goal. It will most likely come naturally to you. Together we can make a sweeping change; a revolution in the world. Begin with your family and spread the love.
In this segment, GDOC producer Dave DeSantis and co-host Amy Osmond Cook share their rendition of John Lennon’s hit, “Imagine.”
Lisa Dove is a native Californian. She lives on the beach with her sweetheart of 36 years. Lisa is a homemaker and mother of eight. English and journalism have been hobbies since middle school. She creates journals from antique books and enjoys spending time with her seven grandchildren.
A version of this article was published by Good Day Orange County. It has been republished here with permission.
