The Woods was inviting and renewing. The Old Man’s thoughts were of events past and the exciting future. Mystery revealed awaits us. We are becoming acquainted with ourselves. Knowing who you are and being comfortable in your sense of place is vital to success in 2026. We are new. Our dedication is fresh for the New Year. No more doing things as we have in the past. We have a 2026 way of thinking. We are people of the now. The past is past; we look to today. Our opinions given to us by others are not a passport for the New Year. We must think outside the Box. The Old Man is a bit of a Crumudgeon. He believes in speaking up. He does not accept being marginalized. He does not countenance being ignored or pigeonholed.

Speaking up and being heard can set you apart from the crowd. If you choose to be accepted by the group, you may want to reconsider expressing your thoughts. If you want to be true to yourself, speak your truth. Honesty is the best policy until it is not. This is how many are left in the shadows. The poor of the land sit quietly as the rich and powerful and elite and club members decide their fate. They have been trained to not speak unless spoken to. They understand their betters have the answers, and their opinions do not count. Until they raise their unheard voices. Then the dynamic changes. Then the answers to problems materialize. Then the voice of the rest of us is heard. Surprise ensues. Who spoke, asks the leader? Do they have the right to speak, or shall we look at the parliamentary rules of conduct to squash their simple protestations?

So we live in a quandary of keeping the powerful happy and secure or speaking our truth. 2026 will require all to speak and none to remain silent. The problems are too great. The solutions are not evidenced by the powerful. We must stand up as servant/leaders and say what we have been thinking and believing. The issues are bigger than all of us, and all of us must participate in the solutions. The elite will say Do not speak yield the floor to the wise and learned. They have been trained and educated, and by virtue of their high birth are genetically qualified to solve the knotty issues facing us.

The Old Man thought of his life. He had spoken to the rich and powerful. He did not hold back. The Old Man had spoken truth to power.