Let’s welcome the new year with positive attitude

It is one Wade Boggs who made the powerful observation that, “A positive attitude causes a chain reaction of positive thoughts, events and outcomes. It is a catalyst and it sparks extraordinary results.” And indeed, it is amazing how such a small thing as one’s attitude can determine how they respond to a situation, good or bad.

Two people may go through a similar experience but respond completely differently based on one’s attitude. One may watch with great indifference as you writhe in pain and suffering while another will be moved to tears as they seek ways and means to assist. In a matter of hours, we will be turning our calendars into a new year. As usual, we will be crossing over into the New Year with great anticipation. Several of us will be making resolutions that should guide our plans and actions for 2019. For the first few weeks of the year, “Happy New Year” will be the common greeting on everyone’s lips, texts and emails.

Illumines the horizon

The truth, however, is that these will be mere wishes that will have absolutely no impact on any of our lives unless we each determine to have an enjoyable year. It is thus important that, for those of us who want to enjoy a truly happy New year, we must cross over with the right attitude – a positive spirit that can cause a chain reaction of positive thoughts, events and outcomes. A conquering sunrise attitude that illumines the horizon and drives away every overwhelming darkness of the night of life.

As we bid a happy goodbye to 2018, all Kenyans are agreed that the most significant event of the year was the now famous March 9th handshake between President Uhuru Kenyatta and Opposition Leader Raila Odinga. Whatever else may be said about this surprising event, sober Kenyans are in agreement that it saved a nation that was hurtling towards a dangerous precipice. The grandstanding between the two leaders and their troops, the verbal insults, and the physical confrontation were predictably leading to destruction. In spite of the many efforts by various ones from the Church, the Diplomatic community, the business and civil society, there seemed to be no hope of salvation anywhere in the horizon.

Then, in an unexpected divine intervention, the two leaders stood on the steps of Harambee House, shared a hearty handshake and pronounced that they had agreed to work together for the sake of the unity and welfare of the nation. It was as surprising as the picture of a lion taking motherly care of a hyrax calf a few years ago. The details of the events that led to this historic handshake and who may have brokered it have remained a matter of conjecture and a closely guarded secret between the two. Yet, even without any such information, one thing is sure – the leaders must have had a change of heart.

For whatever reason, these two leaders came to the point where they appraised the state of the nation and somehow took a totally different perspective to the issues that confronted them and us. But, beyond the changed perspective, they must have had to battle with their feelings and emotions and eventually settled for a change of attitude. Thus, they moved from the place of bitterness to the place of tolerance; from hatred to reconciliation; and from confrontation to corporation. The result was the handshake that has helped us close 2018 in a significantly different spirit from how it began. Wade Boggs is thus proved right that a positive attitude is a catalyst that can spark extraordinary results.

As we prepare to enter 2019, it is a fact that the nation is not totally out of the woods in many fronts. The economy is not where it should be. The fight against corruption will hopefully intensify, with expectation that there will be some significant convictions. As is our tradition, our politics is likely to heat up as we inch closer to 2022. In this scenario, if we are to enjoy a truly happy new year, we each need to take the right perspective to these and many other issues that may confront us. We must cultivate a positive attitude to every aspect of life, appreciating that real life is never a smooth ride on one straight superhighway. Instead, the path of life is often narrow, made up of ups and downs, and with many twists and turns. Thus, like Maya Angelou asserts, if you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude. With that, I wish you a very happy and blessed New Year.

- The writer is the Presiding Bishop of Christ is the Answer Ministries. [email protected]