RosieGlobal

As I open my new day planner for 2026, excitement rises in me. The blank pages feel pure, untouched by the demands of appointments and obligations. They hold the promise that anything is possible, that the future is still wide open, and that our lives are something we get to shape for ourselves. An empty agenda at the start of a new year fills me with optimism and curiosity about what lies ahead.

One hour later, most of the coming month is already filled in, and several appointments for the rest of the year have found their way onto the pages. My heart sinks a little. So quickly, the pristine white space has been claimed by obligation.

And yet, having something to do with your life is its own kind of comfort. Whether you are healthy or ill, human contact is essential, no matter where it comes from. A visit to the doctor’s office offers a brief chat with the receptionist, a moment of engagement with the doctor, and a whiff of fresh outside air. A phone call with a friend reminds us that we belong somewhere. We all need to feel that we matter. Human connection — even in its smallest forms — helps us feel that way.

But there are so many people for whom connection doesn’t work like that. People who feel lost, who live with violence, who are victims of war or warlike acts. For them, the only thing that matters is keeping themselves and their families safe. Anyone who read the news in the first days of this year was confronted with an astonishing number of conflicts, wars, and brutal acts of violence. In a world where peace and kindness are desperately needed, we are falling short.

Even in places untouched by war, many live in troubling circumstances. Rates of depression and burnout are unprecedented. Loneliness continues to rise. Chronic illness affects more people every year.

And then there is the environment. Mother Earth has been under attack for a long time, and she is showing the strain. Global warming, melting polar caps, species extinction, and a rise in natural disasters. Microplastics accumulating in our organs. Rising water levels in some regions and severe shortages in others, both contributing to disease and poor health. The destruction of rainforests… the list goes on.

Despite my naturally optimistic nature, it is becoming harder to hold on to faith in good outcomes. Too many world leaders are not leading but fighting, measuring their worth in military strength. And that strategy still appeals to some — people who need others to fail, to weaken, even to die, in order to feel powerful. People who believe they are chosen, better, righteous in their violence.

Still, I believe there are more people who long for a kinder, more peaceful world. People who would rather invest in human connection than in stocks and bonds. People who want lives filled with meaning rather than strife. I truly believe that those who want peace, love, and kindness far outnumber those who don’t.

As I look out my window, I see an untouched blanket of snow covering everything. Like the blank pages of my planner, the snow is pure and peaceful. Nature is reminding me that beauty still exists in abundance — we just have to look for it. Yes, beauty disappears sometimes, as the snow eventually will, but it always returns. And often, one kind of beauty makes way for another: the first blossoms of spring, sun‑kissed beaches in summer, the warm palette of autumn leaves.

Maybe, just maybe, this year we can try a little harder to notice the beauty around us. The stranger helping an elderly man cross the road. A neighbor offering soup to someone who is ill. A baby’s first smile. Perhaps we could baptize this year as the year of kindness. We could look for random acts of kindness — or grand gestures — and more importantly, we could be the ones who create them.

We could spread the word not through social media, but through conversation. Conversations in public and private spaces that strengthen our human connection. We could build alliances and remind our politicians that we want a peaceful world, one that respects human life, nature, and humanity. We could lead by example, showing that there is another way forward — one where everyone is welcome to coexist and participate, and where we support those who need extra help to do so.

We can help each other find, see, enjoy, embrace, and create beauty in this world.  

We can be the purest form of an untouched blanket of snow.

Who’s with me?

#YearOfKindness #HumanConnection #ChooseCompassion #InvisibleStruggles #RosieGlobal

If this resonated with you, share it with someone who might need a moment of kindness today.

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