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2016

We lost many celebrities in 2016. Many of us lost loved ones. I lost my mother and my aunt. My wife lost a friend and we both have friends who lost their loved ones all during some part of 2016. Most of us agree 2016 was a bad year.

Now, as the year closes out and we look to renewing hope that the next year will somehow be better,  we are struck by the politically realities of a new president. Most of us are having difficulty clinging to the hope a New Year promises.

The horrors of Aleppo, the rampant greed that is fast destroying our environment and causing wars, religious fighting, these things still exist, they are happening. But so are good things. And often, the quiet good things do not get the equal attention with the sensational and bloody stories.

There is strife and sadness in the world and perhaps there always will be, but gains are being made, good things done by good people do happen.

The thing of it is, taken in context, 2016 was not that bad of a year. There were good things that happened in 2016.

Pandas were removed from the endangered species list largely due to public involvement. The Antarctic ozone hole is healing itself because of public activism.

Researchers made a gene discovery that is a significant breakthrough in fighting ALS, (Lou Gehrig’s disease). This was accomplished because of money donated by ordinary folks participating in the “Ice Bucket Challenge.”

There are more tigers in the world, one hundred African elephants were moved to safety against poachers, 80 rhinoceros were saved, and there are more manatees in the world, all thanks to public intervention.

Violent crime, despite what you see in the media, dropped worldwide, 200 strangers attended the funeral of a homeless WWII veteran with no family, 800 hostages taken by Boko Haram were freed by the Nigerian army and death from heart disease decreased in the United States.

Physicists confirmed Einstein’s theory of gravitational waves, Catholic and Eastern Orthodox leaders met for the first time in 1,000 years, the Americas are now measles free and teen birth rates hit an all time low.


People make a difference. Small actions can have huge consequences. Taken in historic context, things are much better now than they have ever been with the exception of climate change. Political activism has helped better our lives and it will continue to do so. It is only fear that paralyzes us from becoming active, but look at all we have done!

Let us all kindle hope within us, and continue to push for peace, love, and health, for our families, our friends, our neighbours and the world.

Continue to donate to your charities, to research, and take up new challenges. Ignore pessimists, naysayers, and cynics who would talk you out of doing good things for the greater good of us all.

“If you want to change the world-be the change.”- Gandhi

I wish you all a very happy new year. Peace.




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