Nostalgia

This morning as I was shoveling snow, I was thinking about my class reunion coming up this summer and wondering what I would say to my classmates.

One phrase kept coming to my mind.

At one point in our lives, it seemed that "the future's so bright I gotta wear shades." It seemed like we were on top of the world. Now, at least for me, it feels like the world is on top of me. What happened?

I don't know what happened. Is growing up all about losing optimism or is it about gaining wisdom? What does hope look like after, or in the midst of, a mid-life crisis?

Hope is the key virtue of our time. The poster of Obama with the single word, HOPE on it has captured the imagination of many people. Hope.

I titled this post nostalgia and maybe nostalgia is an attempt to find hope in the past. It was good then, or at least the way we remember it was good - so it will be good again. Goodness is possible.

I don't know. I thought I had more insight while shoveling snow. It seemed wise at the time but now it seems trite.

Hope.