...the end of a year brings with it reflection...the end of a decade brings a tally of sorts. Good things, bad things, things we want to change, things that made us happy, sad, fearful...what did we accomplish and what will we hold onto for the next 10 years. I decided to do a little research trying to remember all of the defining moments of the last decade. I didn't want this to become a eulogy, but I'm finding it difficult not to be struck by the enormity of tragedy that befell us not only as a nation, but as a global community. 9/11, tsunami, Afghanistan, Katrina, Iraq, space shuttle disaster, mad cow, bird flu, H1N1, global warming...the list goes on and on. It's truly overwhelming when you look at the scope of events and how different our world has become. My child will never know the joy of greeting someone at the gate in the airport. This world that he knows is defined by words like terrorism, financial crisis, obesity, and amber alerts. But in the same vein, his world has seen such things as Mars rovers, iPods, hybrids, and the first African American president. While it's easy to get caught up in the whirlpool of tragedy and crisis, we must remember that sometimes the worst of times brings out the best in humanity. There will always be bad people who do despicable things...but there are also wonderful, caring people who make our world a better place. When you see a parent teaching her child the importance of volunteering, people of influence and wealth donating time and dollars to help others, the tears of joy and pride at the success of another, or even the simple act of holding a door...you realize that WE shape our world. We take these catastrophes and either learn from them and improve, or wallow in them and become stagnant. It's our choice. Our children deserve the best world that we can give them, and while there will always be bad influences and terrible situations, we can show our kids that those are not the routes to happiness and fulfillment. Genuinely caring for, helping and empowering others, THAT is how we become rich. So in retrospect, despite the significant losses and tragedy, we will come out stronger and more united...if that is what we choose to do.
...don't forget to have your black-eyed peas for good luck =)
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