As the sun sets on 2011 and we look forward to 2012, I’m wondering what delights it will bring.

Anything can happen…and it probably will! But, we’ve heard so much of the gloom and doom and it’s not really helping me. Yes I know that economies are in dire straits and we are now paying a heavy price for a failed system, or a system that was failed by greed and avarice. But I need to believe in the power of human ingenuity (if not my own) to find new opportunities, and create new possibilities.

I was attempting to park my car in a Pay and Display car park just before Christmas. The minimum fee was £1.50 and I only had £1.35 in change. A young girl was standing beside me having just collected a ticket for her Mum. She turned to me and asked very sweetly, “Do you want some money?” The girl was about 12 years old. I’m 48 and was sporting my holiday stubble; wearing a long black overcoat and an obligatory silly Christmas hat, so not exactly an inviting sight! She offered without any expectation of return. I accepted her kind offer before realizing that among my small change there were coins that the machine wouldn’t accept. So I was no nearer actually paying for my parking space after all that.

But life is full of surprises; small and wonderful moments of unexpected kindness. As I was returning to my car, a man who had seen me struggling, drove by on his way out and offered me his ticket. It had 2 hours parking left on it.

As long as people retain this capacity to think about the needs of others and to offer help without any hope of reciprocation; I think we will prove ourselves more than up to the challenges we face.

So as 2012 begins, I have faith and expectation that wonderful things will happen and that I will be richer (in spirit if not in cash) at the end of it. There’s more out there than we know; there’s plenty to play for; so I’m not throwing my cards in yet!