top of page
Writer's pictureJim Parks, CFP, AIF

Optimism and Hope for the New Year

As 2022 ended, many people shared what they anticipated in the new year. From a World Cup record to peak China, here are a few of the stories that caught our attention:

The beautiful game. “…the U.S. Women’s National Team will look to defend their 2019 [World Cup soccer] title at the tournament cohosted by Australia and New Zealand. The four-time World Cup champs…could become the first team in either the women’s or men’s game to win three successive World Cups,” reported Lisa Antonucci of NBC Sports.

The Great American Solar Eclipse. On October 14, “…the Moon will again pass directly between Earth and the Sun – but this time it will not quite completely cover the solar disk, instead turning it into a thin ‘ring of fire.’ This annular (Latin for ring-shaped) eclipse will be visible within a roughly 125-mile-wide path from Oregon to Texas and on into Mexico and northern South America,” reported the American Astronomical Society.

Healthcare advances. “According to reports, science seems on the threshold of unlocking the mysteries that could lead to cures or game-changing treatments for diabetes, Parkinson’s, HIV, many types of cancers and heart conditions, and more. When it comes to modern medicine, there’s reason to hope that 2023 will be the Year of Miracles,” wrote Gary Abernathy for the Washington Post.

A change in China’s influence. “Some time in April China’s population will be overtaken by India’s, at around 1.43 [billion]. With China’s population in decline, and its economy facing headwinds, expect much discussion of whether China has peaked,” wrote Tom Standage of The Economist.

Strength in optimism. “… conventional wisdom is likely to be wrong. That’s what makes me so hopeful and so eager for the future: the widespread doom and gloom. What good is pessimism? I used to think hope was a product of external facts, but the school of life has convinced me otherwise. Hope is a choice, strengthened through practice; not a reflection of light, but light itself,” wrote David Von Drehle for the Washington Post.

What are you looking forward to in 2023?


Comments


bottom of page