THE POWER OF HOPE

Hilbert Morales | EL OBSERVADOR
Photo Credit: Unsplash

The Latina Grand Marshall of the Rose Bowl Parade on New Year’s Day is responsible for its theme: “THE POWER OF HOPE”.

Hope is defined as one’s expectation for a happening in the future. Quite often, our hopes are not realized because, as individuals, we forget to make an effort or to practice the discipline which would permit that hopeful expectation to become a reality in one’s life.

During this new 2020 year each of us can accomplish what is needed to achieve hopeful peace and prosperity, provided each of us makes the effort to begin the process which results in being at peace along with being well-off.

Achievement of being well off requires an active and consistent investment of your time, talent and treasure. Not all of it, but rather at least 15% of what you have today (i.e., one dollar out of six, in monetary terms).

Too many of us talk about making progressive investments, but do not undertake the disciplined action which results in a plan of action to be followed. Undertaking that plan of action allows one to get from the present to the desired future state.

Along the way, field conditions and circumstances come along with require making plan course adjustments. Personal development plans are not meant to be rigid. Rather, as one acquires knowledge and experiences, adjustments need to be made. One’s continual acquisition of applicable experience along the way inevitably leads to making adjustments.

For example (taken from my early personal experiences), I once wanted to become a physician. When I revealed that to my high school counselor (a male teacher having Swedish heritage), I was told that that would “never happen because today (1946) Mexicans are not admitted into the graduate school programs required.” Mr. Bergsrtrom was right, however.

At that time, I asked him to approve a curriculum which included all of the application entry requirements along with the coursework which would qualify me for vocational training (as a steelworker). As an outcome, some four years later, I did meet the admissions requirements for a graduate program in Biological Sciences. That curriculum contained entry level coursework in bacteriology, virology, biochemistry, and laboratory instrumentation. It was that last course which proved to be most effective in my future development as a biochemist.

Back then (1955) I was routinely interviewed and not employed by several firms (one of which was Dow Chemical, Midland, Michigan). Later, I realized that prejudicial racism was a factor. So, my backup plan had to be used. The result was that I accepted a Research Assistant position in Microbiology which paid $300 per month (1956), which was not enough to support my family (wife plus one child). My adjustment was to take on a part-time job as a clinical chemist to make ends meet.

Providence provided opportunity: The Department Head fired the staff member who was responsible for training laboratory support. I was chosen to fulfill that vacancy immediately. In St. Louis, Mo., all the supportive staff were African Americans who fell under my supervision. I quickly learned that they had been trained to do things by rote rather than by understanding the principles being used (involved). A bit of on-the-job training which I provided to each and every one of that supportive staff resulted in a very good outcome.

The higher level of productivity and reliability was duly noted by others – especially the Director. I was asked by him to mentor all the laboratory assistants. I had only one absolute requirement: “If I undertake training you, I expect you to be absolutely truthful and honest.” The immediate outcome was that our experimental efforts were accurately documented and could be replicated with a very high level of reliability. The Department’s Principal Investigators began to submit one research article per month to research journals such as “Science”, published by the American Society for the Advancement of Science.

My main objective in relating the experiences above is to emphasize that truthfulness and honesty are the basis of progressive outcomes. Today, there are too many who take shortcuts; who do not make decisions based upon a reliable database.

Today, our nation has a leader who ignores scientific observations. As an outcome, our nation is not dealing effectively with Global Climate Changes which are having dire impact worldwide.

Northern California had two wildfires; Australia is experiencing disastrous wildfires. Zimbabwe (Africa) is experiencing a drought which may result in having 8,000,000 individuals die from food starvation. Portions of the Amazon Forest (Brazil) have burnt up. The carbon dioxide produced by these conflagrations undoubtedly have increased the levels of greenhouse gases in the global atmosphere.

India uses some 29 power plants which burn coal which add even more carbon dioxide to our global atmosphere (even more greenhouse gas levels).

So, when will America’s leadership begin to use its power and authority to begin implementation of actions which mitigate global warming? Certainly, that will not happen with our current President Trump who pulled America out of the Paris Climate Change Accord. Speaker Nancy Pelosi was correct when she invoked those two Articles of Impeachment.

Today, American public policy must begin addressing directly these items which deal with global climate issues. We may begin by negotiating with India and China to shut down coal fired power plants as they are replaced by sustainable solar energy sources (some 30 such coal fired power plants exist) and the coal being used is shipped out of our own San Francisco Bay!

Global Climate Changes must be addressed by the U.S. Congress immediately as America again assumes its global leadership opportunities and responsibilities.

Here in California, we must begin transition to sustainable solar and wind energy sources which will reduce significantly the levels of carbon dioxide in our local atmospheres. A transition to electric powered personal vehicles would also be required. These are actions to be taken sooner rather than later.

Our California State Assembly must begin to craft the public policies and state programs which enable California to be the leader which directly addressed issues which mitigate Global Climate Changes.

If we approach this new year 2020 with objective purpose, we can achieve much that mitigates global climate changes happening as we read this summary of what is happening and what is possible.

One thing is certain: Global Climate Changes must be addressed locally by beginning here at our own ecosystem. The corrective mitigation may begin right here in California. Whose economy is the sixth largest worldwide and its peoples are diverse, creative and innovative. What is needed most right now is to have our own leadership address these issues (which may require resisting the special interest advice and money being offered by lobbyists.

Let’s do what is best for the people of California! Then the “Power of Hope” will work its magic as we deal directly with the substantive issues facing us. Let’s apply 20/20 visionary actions now.

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