A moment for reflection.

HILLARY
This has been quite a year. Personally, it was the best year of my life. I moved into a beautiful new home, found and married the love of my life, and helped many of my friends’ transition into new and better jobs and homes. I wish that I could say that the year was great for everyone everywhere, but we know that’s not the case. I am hopeful, however, that this year will be seen as a year of transition. There is a lot to be decided in 2008, and I can only pray that we move towards positivity and peace.

JACK
It’s easy for us to analyze our own feelings and to be pretty accurate. It is almost impossible to assess the world at large. Good things happen in the middle of the worst disasters and bad things happen when all seems to be peaceful. I am afraid that what you pray for exists only in fairy tales. For me, it has been a good year overall, despite the fact that it was pretty scary at times. It makes me realize more than ever that when you are in the fourth quarter you can expect a certain amount of wear and tear. Despite the rationale, having gone through a life threatening staph infection, I once more realize how fortunate I am. At this stage of my life, I refuse to assume survivor’s guilt. When I flew in combat more than 60 years ago I always had a mixed feeling of joy and infinite sadness for those that did not return. Today, I still cannot explain why one escapes and another does not. The combination of decisions, events, and results serve to make me more reflective. 2007 was a better year than 2006, for me personally. It was one of the rare years where I did not lose anybody close to me. But oddly enough, when icons that I never met pass away, there is a feeling of something that will be missed for the rest of my life. This is the time of year when we can reflect on the past year and what we see ahead. How do you see the world around you, and your place in it, in 2008?

HILLARY
Many mystics would tell you that numerologically we are moving out of a period of transition. That many of the changes that we need to make will be completed in 2008 and will stay in place for nearly 10 years. I don’t know if that’s true, but it certainly fits in a few ways. For the country, there has been more election discussion in a non-election year than ever before, and this decision will be made in ’08 and could very well last for 8 years. In my personal life, I transitioned from a single working woman to a married homemaker this year. In 2008, I hope to become a mother, which I believe is the best contribution that I can make to the world around me. While I may no longer believe that I can have an impact beyond my local community, the best thing that I think I can do to support my country is to make a good citizen that will carry on the values that my husband and I believe in. (Oddly enough, being a homemaker gives me a greater opportunity to monitor our government through C-SPAN, and the like – so, I know that I will be creating an informed citizen, too.) So, to answer your question more concisely, I see the world around me as a chaotic place, in great transition, and I see myself as someone who can create and nurture a force for the future. What about you, Jack? How do you answer your questions?

JACK
As I listen to you I realize that these conversations that we have are instrumental in changing your viewpoint. The result is a much happier person without losing of your compassion for the world around you. If this feeling is all that we have accomplished by our weekly blog, I am more than satisfied that the time has been well spent. The extension of our ideas to those that read this is a big bonus to me. As I assess the year past I once more appreciate the importance of communication and the ability to express feelings to one or more other people. I have little belief in mystics, astrology, or any other means of predicting the future. I can’t believe that our destinies have been set, just as I do believe our genetic structure is deeply responsible for what we do. The fact is that the world around us has become a more frightening place. There has been more violence, assassinations, and even natural disasters. If we are to believe Al Gore than we are equally responsible for the tragic events triggered by storms, tsunamis, forest fires and droughts. I am not so much stunned by what we cannot predict or affect as I am by the continuing march of ignorance and intolerance. I totally respect the religions of the world, but object to anybody trying to impose these beliefs on me. The reality is that this past year has not led us closer to peace and understanding. As I said to you a couple of years ago, you can only affect your world and those around you - no matter how much you try to explain or understand the worldwide problems. Your current ambition to have a child and be part of a family unit that is positive is as much as you realize. However, we have no way of knowing how deeply we may affect other people in distant places. In the past year I have heard from people from different parts of the world who have been touched by my efforts, both industrially and philosophically. I stand in awe of the Internet, as past friends and people I have never met have contacted me. This past year, I think I became the oldest living geek. I am by no means an expert, but I am able to take advantage of iPhone, iChat and iTunes, as well as email and videoconferences. To sum it up, Hillary, you and I are way ahead of the game. I will never stop, for as long as it lasts, appreciating my family, my friends, and good health. So to all that read this blog, and anyone else who hears my voice or reads my stuff in cyberspace, I wish you all a happy and healthy New Year.

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