THE RELATIVE WEIGHT OF THINGS

How many times have you heard things like, "The air is heavy"; "My mood is heavy"; "That's heavy, man". In fact, Merriam-Webster gives the longest list of definitions than most words I have seen:
1 a: having great weight; also: characterized by mass or weight (how heavy is it?) b: having a high specific gravity: having great weight in proportion to bulk c: (1)of an isotope: having or being atoms of greater than normal mass for that element (2)of a compound: containing heavy isotopes
2: hard to bear; specifically : grievous, afflictive (a heavy sorrow)
3: of weighty import : serious (heavy consequences)
4: deep, profound (a heavy silence)
5 a: borne down by something oppressive: burdened b: pregnant; especially: approaching parturition
6 a: slow or dull from loss of vitality or resiliency: sluggish (a tired heavy step) b: lacking sparkle or vivacity : drab c: lacking mirth or gaiety : doleful d: characterized by declining prices
7: dulled with weariness : drowsy
8: greater in quantity or quality than the average of its kind or class: as a: of unusually large size or amount (a heavy turnout), (heavy traffic) b: of great force (heavy seas) c: threatening to rain or snow, d(1): impeding motion (2): full of clay and inclined to hold water e: coming as if from a depth : loud (heavy breathing) f: thick, coarse (heavy syrup) g: oppressive (a heavy odor), (heavy weather), (rule with a heavy hand) h: steep, acute i: laborious, difficult (heavy going) j: immoderate (a heavy smoker) k: more powerful than usual for its kind (a heavy cavalry), (a heavy cruiser) l: of large capacity or output
9 a: very rich and hard to digest (heavy desserts), b: not properly raised or leavened, (heavy bread)
10: producing goods (as coal, steel, or chemicals) used in the production of other goods (heavy industry)
11 a: having stress, (a heavy rhythm) —used especially of syllables in accentual verse b: being the strongest degree of stress in speech
12: relating to theatrical parts of a grave or somber nature
13: long (heavy on ideas)
14: important, prominent

These are, indeed. weighty times. The world is in trouble with global warming,terrorists, and wars; people are weighted down by the holiday season with its heavy demands of all that must be done and, many hearts will be heavy when it is over. We will then be starting a new year. Obama as President has lifted our hopefulness for America's future which makes most of us feel lighter. For the first time in eight years, the empty glass is beginning to look as though it might soon be half full...though it may be only hope (which has no weight), not money enough to make the world a better place in a hurry.

You may choose to be hopeful and feel light; or you may choose to worry about things beyond your control and get bogged down with weighty hopelessness. I choose to look to the future with faith that there is enough good in the world to go beyond the evil that has been destroying the world for the past eight years. The law of averages will balance the world once again! It is time for the balance to shift.