My Last Post of 2008

As the final hours of 2008 tick away, it's time to reflect on a momentous year.

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to heaven, we were all going direct the other way - in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.

Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities

So, in 2008, was the glass half full or half empty?

It was both and it was neither.

I can't say that I'm worried about what 2009 will bring, though I suppose there's plenty of reason for concern.

There's no question there's a lot of uncertainty about how 2009 will play out. There are major changes and a lot of challenges ahead, but that's no different than any other year. Even at times when we think things are under control and the future seems predictable and bright, there's the curve ball, the unexpected.

There's always good and bad, joy and tragedy. Some dreams come true and some nightmares become reality.

It's the same every year.

One prediction:

On December 31, 2009, as I reflect on the events of the year gone by, the same Charles Dickens quotation will apply.