A Brighter Future Ahead — By John Reed

A Brighter Future Ahead
I’ve been absent here in recent weeks as travel, family, and work have taken precedence. I’ll try to do better in the new year, but you know how resolutions go…
I was privileged recently to visit Argentina. Most Americans think all of Latin America is filled with short, brown men with mustaches and sombreros. This unfortunate stereotype is completely inaccurate in Buenos Aires, which could easily be mistaken for Madrid, Berlin, or Vienna.
After years of massive inflation (far worse than anything here), they voted in a conservative president who immediately cut federal spending and rescued his country’s economy. Sound familiar?
Of course, their culture is more accustomed to powerful authority figures, from Spanish royalty to Juan Peron and more. Our mindset is more anti-authoritarian so we can expect far more resistance to any attempts to trim government fat.
Another pleasure I found there was access to their churches. Every one I saw, from corner chapel to the national cathedral, were unlocked, open, with people coming and going throughout the day, not just service times. I’ve written before (and will again) on the unwelcoming approach many of our churches seem to project, from locked doors to judgmental tenets.
My final takeaway from my visit was the basic vibrancy and optimism of their society. We’re starting to see that here, too, with fewer stories of what we can’t do or what we’re not allowed to do. Sure, some proposals coming from the new administration sound Pollyanna-ish, but it’s a nice change from the constant down-talking we’ve been subjected to the last few years.
All of which appeals to my admittedly overly optimistic expectations. True, this season is bittersweet for those dealing with loss: storms, finances, family, or whatever. But just as Christ’s birth ushered in a new faith two millennia past, I’m convinced the spirit of Christmas will carry us into a new year filled with promise.
Let’s look forward to the future!