Gaggin' in the Grove: Look ahead, not back...

So here it is – just a few days from the dreaded Packers-Bears showdown and I, a Packer backer, am going to open this blog with a quote from – gasp – a Bears coach.

               As it has been around the newsroom of the Tel Aviv Times – hold the back page.

               But it’s what former Bears coach Mike Ditka, the last Bears coach who made press conferences interesting, once said, the only people who live in the past are losers and cowards.

               This is why I subtly roll my eyes when newspapers, web sites, stained glass windows, TV news reports, and news magazines bombard us with “highlights of the past year”.

               We get the chance to set the way-back machine to recall the events that some peopled would prefer to forget.  Things like floods, gnats, hail, locusts, public hearings etc.  We’re also reminded of things, mostly bizarre, that some folks said or did.  Really?  Do we need to revisit people’s misfortunes and bonehead deeds?

               It’s also the time of year when we remember the famous people who died during the previous 12 months.  Maybe rather than regale in the faults and failures of people, companies etc, we should look at the lessons of those who died.

               Maybe there’s more to gain from Nelson Mandela than disgraced politicians.  Maybe instead of focusing on the acrimony surrounding projects like Weiland Road and the instant downtown there can be a focus on the positives that can come from compromise and rational thinking.  Well, OK, it’s not all seashells and balloons.

               But perhaps instead of reminding us of the heavy rains that hit the area, we recall the eight first responders who gave up their time to help folks in tornado-ravaged Washington, Illinois, or maybe the fire fighters who gave up their time to do their annual collection for MDA, or the Heart of Buffalo Grove winners.

               It seems to me that maybe the little things that happen throughout the year may actually be the big stories – the ones about everyday heroes. I can’t help but wonder why a death, catastrophe or arrest is what puts people in the spotlight.  It seems to fit the mantra often associated with broadcast journalism and social media – if it bleeds, it leads. 

               And if you’re looking for a New Year’s resolution, forget it.  The endless stream of pieces written about things people resolve to do little more than take up time and space.

               If you want a resolution, just look to Nike.

               Just do it.