Long Time Gone

As the end of the decade approaches, it is time to take stock into what has been a tumultuous year for everyone. Even if things have gone your way and you feel 2009 events didn't affect you, well, you're wrong. No matter what social or economic strata you belonged to, everything, from the economy, weather, crime, employment, science, all of it, affected everyone.

Our nation added trillions of dollars in debt during the past decade and this will affect everyone for the foreseeable future. There are those who opposed this, but not making tough choices that had to be made towards the end of the decade would have been catastrophic to our nation for years to come.

War, or whatever we are in, is now transitioning into the second decade with no end in sight. We face an enemy determined to destroy us by any means necessary, and we still have no idea who the face of the enemy is. There are those who want to continue the status quo, scare tactics, in order to promote their agenda, keeping the jihad going. There are those who are even in favor of "martial law" in order to achieve this. One of the greatest challenges for the coming decade is to firmly establish who these entities are and destroy them by fostering relationships with those who want peace. Sorry, more troops, bombs or drones, while effective, are not a viable, long term solution.

Another challenge we face is having our nation continue to move forward and not look to the past or the old days as a solution. We in this nation need to realize that the past is what it is, the past, and no amount of navel gazing is going to bring those days back. America is in transition and we, no matter how unpleasant must face that fact. However, that does not mean that opporunitity has taken a vacation. We must seize the day and moment when all is alinged in our favor. The days of false competition are over and the sooner this nation comes to grip with that fact, the better we are attuned to move on and become prosperous.

I have high expextations for our nation in this decade. In order for us to be successful we must shun and shy away from the naysayers who still believe our nation is 20th century urber allies. The next generation is ready to lead and we of the baby boom generation need to let them.

As for me, I am ready to make this decade mine. After all the pit falls and hard stops, I am more than ready to face the challenges we have before us. I am not afraid of the future, but I am afraid of the past because there are so many who still thrill to live in the moment.

HAVE A HAPPY NEW DECADE ALL!

Photo: Downtown Memphis New Year's Eve 2009