I am aware of how devastating many of the events of the last decade were. I had friends who walked out of New York on September 11, 2001 wondering if their loved ones were alive, wondering where they would be returning to work. But we, as a nation, learned that we aren't some invincible power. We were shown to be human that day. From that place of humanity, we found new compassion for other countries that are being terrorized. Many families have been affected by the financial troubles our country has gone through. But many families are learning that less is more and more is not necessary to happiness. And, because of their reduced means, they have learned new compassion for those who have always lived beneath the poverty line. We have crossed racial barriers that have given hope to a new generation of people that previously never had hope. We have opened dialogues regarding covering everyone with health care and same sex marriage. These are still contentious issues, but we as a country are thinking about them and discussing them. We are also questioning following our leaders blindly into battle, wondering instead if there are diplomatic channels that could be used or if tactical maneuvers have to be so sweeping.
It is this kind of response to the events of the last decade that will allow us to move into the next decade in a better way. We won't be going back to business as usual but business in a way that shows compassion and acceptance of others and more responsibility for our personal actions and our actions as a country, if we have learned our lessons of this decade. That is my wish for all of us as we ring in 2010.
