I came across a poem by Maxine Meixner about hope. The first few lines are:
I am not religious, but when I see someone running to catch the bus,
I say a silent prayer for them.
I pray to no one and everyone when I silently say,
I hope you make it.
The poet also has little hope for strangers, like having the perfect cup of tea. I would love someone to wish me the perfect cup of tea. It makes everything better, but brewing the perfect cup is not always guaranteed.
Her poem was a beautiful reminder of what the Christmas season is meant to be for Christians. The gospel of Luke tells the story of the angels appearing at the birth of Jesus proclaiming, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men.”
In a divided world, where we are more often reminded of our individuality than our shared humanity, we can forget that what most of us want is goodwill for ourselves and others.
The word goodwill even appears on balance sheets as an asset. It is the value of a company’s reputation, customer loyalty and brand, which can be expected to produce future income.
Even on the personal balance sheet, goodwill is not entirely altruistic. Goodwill towards others creates a more stable environment in which our families, society and communities can thrive, which in turn offers an indirect benefit, and sometimes a direct one.
I believe that hoping for good things directs energy. Without that hope, it becomes harder to see how good things will materialise. Of course, it is not guaranteed, but in the absence of hope, we are far less likely to experience goodwill or recognise the good things already present in our lives.
During this time of reflection, as we close the year, what are you hoping for yourself, for others, even for strangers, and for the world? Perhaps write down those hopes.
I hope that you will experience goodwill in every sense of the word, starting with that perfect cup of tea.
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Kind regards,
Sunél