I'm a firm believer as a writer that all stories begin with one question: What if....? I think that question is the key to imagination to allow us writers to create a new story, new narrative, open up new worlds regardless of what genre we write. As I sit here on New Year's Eve morning, reflect on the past year and ponder the coming year, I find myself considering that same question: What if...?
What if we all agreed to a cease fire of sorts? What if we stopped being fearful of differences in race, religion, orientation, gender and just accepted one another--let go of those things that divide us--the things about others that don't really hurt me. What if we embraced the richness of those differences? What if we agreed that every human being has the right to access to health care and the kinds of help they need to live a healthy life? What if we all agreed that if everyone paid their fair share according to their abilities, we could build a stronger society? What if we all agreed that education was important enough not to make it a financial burden but to make it an opportunity for all?
What if we agreed that women have a rightful place in this society and that they have the same rights as men to make decisions over their own bodies? What if we agreed that, based on our history as a country, we find ways to welcome strangers and refugees and those seeking a better life among us and help them create that better life rather than punishing them for wanting it? What if we truly had the just system we have so long proclaimed to have? What if we saw science not as something phony or evil but as a tool to help us build a better society for all?
What if we just stopped being so angry and hateful and afraid of the imagined bogeyman and agreed to live together in peace? There are so many what ifs that we could consider that would give us all a better and more peaceful life if we weren't so fearful and stubborn and angry all the time. What are we so afraid of?
What am I afraid of? I'm afraid that this new and possible narrative is just another work of fiction, a pretty story for the books but not for reality. And that makes me sad.
I hope that you will consider the possibilities and do whatever you can to change just one thing to create this world in 2026 and make it a kinder, gentler, more accepting and welcoming place.
Peace, Linda
