How we move forward

“Comfort and prosperity have never enriched the world as much as adversity has.” Billy Graham

I’m a bit young to remember Billy Graham at his evangelical peak, and the truth is I’m not one of his “clan”.  But he makes a powerful point.  (Evidently he made quite a few… but that’s another story)

I also confess to not knowing the quote before now; I went looking for it. 

Inexplicably, I woke up this morning feeling optimistic that the world will put the challenging experiences of the past few years, not just the Covid Pandemic, to good use.  How could we not?  Feeling that way, I wanted to find the words of someone eloquent to capture the sentiment and there, by the grace of Google, was Billy. 

We will all have our own ideas about what “good use” looks like, and I’m worried that articulating mine might start a fight!

Sidestepping controversy therefore, I simply offer the thought that despite our many failings, we humans are reflective, well intentioned and with a desire to be rational. There are plenty of problems in the world that need fixing and can be fixed with clear thinking, commitment and cooperation.  It seems probable to me that these difficult times might just give us the resolve necessary to embrace those characteristics and get on with the job.